Let’s Talk About Clinical Trial WashoutsA friend of mine — a fellow EGFR lung cancer survivor — passed away this week. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence in the lung cancer community, but there...reactions2comments
Pets, Responsibilities, and the Lung Cancer PatientWhen I was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, I was quickly asked by more than a few people if I would be getting rid of my cats. They are...reactionscomments
5 Reasons to Share Your Personal StoryLong, long ago, in my previous life before cancer, I was a newspaper journalist. I worked as a reporter then an editor as daily newspapers for approximately 10 years before...reactionscomments
Awareness From Breasts to LungsBreast cancer awareness was a groundbreaking movement in the 80s and 90s that, frankly, saved a lot of lives and laid the foundation for making early detection the norm in...reactionscomments
Have You Considered Getting a Fake Vein for Chemo?Yesterday during my treatment I met a lady who was worried about getting “stuck” so that she could get her chemotherapy. The time before when she was there, they didn’t...reactions8comments
Cancer Lessons: Empathy and CompassionI don’t even know how to describe some of the feelings I have been having lately. I find myself oscillating between extreme gratefulness and extreme frustration. Our family has been touched by...reactionscomments
You’re Lucky You Get to Travel So Much!I’ve been fortunate enough to do a lot of traveling in the over four years since I’ve been diagnosed with lung cancer. Not right after my diagnosis — I wore...reactionscomments
Perspective: Not Enough or Making Progress or Both?Perspective is an interesting thing. I just got home from the 2018 Lung Cancer Leadership Conference sponsored by Lung Cancer Research Foundation. This kind of meeting is always a blessing...reactionscomments
Working Together to Defeat Lung CancerWhat if we could give governors a roadmap to help defeat lung cancer in their state? The American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE “State of Lung Cancer” 2018 report looked at...reactionscomments
The Importance of Looking UpThere is a simple story I often retell from one school-day afternoon in my teens. Autumn was perhaps my favorite time of the year and the maples and oaks that...reactions1comment
You Look Great!Although I am a “healthy” lung cancer survivor, many of my lung cancer friends who may appear to be healthy are anything but. What does health or sickness look like?...reactions2comments
If This Doesn't Make You See Red, What Will?Last year, Cure magazine published an article entitled, The American Lung Association Seeks to End Stigma, that, obviously, deals with the very real lung cancer stigma. We, as lung cancer survivors...reactionscomments
What Are All Those Scans, Anyway?Most of us are familiar with the X-ray and Ultrasound, but there are more imaging scan options that many patients will receive as part of the diagnostic and observational process...reactionscomments
Decisions, DecisionsFirst let me start by saying how grateful I am to have options. Although I wish the best option would just slap me in the face and say “Pick me!”...reactions2comments
The Things People Say...Since you have been diagnosed with cancer have you been amazed at some of the things people say to you? I sure have! I think one of the most common...reactions2comments
Experiencing Milestones That Might Be Taken for GrantedLast week, my husband and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. A 22nd anniversary may not seem like a big deal since it’s in between the 20th and 25th, but...reactionscomments
Five More Free Stress RelieversEveryone, but especially those of us who are faced with a challenging diagnosis, needs stress relievers. Not only is stress not healthy for us, it makes our lives miserable. With...reactionscomments
Opioid Stigma and the Cancer PatientI walked into my pharmacy and handed my prescriptions across the counter. The young man at the computer began typing them in dutifully, then raised an eyebrow and stepped away...reactionscomments
Legal Documents All Cancer Patients Should HaveHere is a quick and dirty rundown of the basic legal documents that everyone should have prepared in case of death or physical incapacitation. As cancer patients, we have been...reactions2comments
The Age-Old Question: Does Sugar Cause Cancer?I hear this question all of the time, "Does sugar cause cancer? If I eat sugar, am I going to get cancer or is my cancer going to grow?" Well...reactionscomments
