The doctor’s words hung in the air. Then came the silence. When you first hear “chronic disease” tied to your name, something shifts inside you. Overcoming obstacles doesn’t mean my disease vanished. It doesn’t mean I beat it with grit and green smoothies. The obstacles are real, and they stay real. I didn’t choose them,…
Read moreCategory: Musings Along A Cancer Fighter’s Journey
Might a modest tale heal the way you face your own battles? I write about what it is like to be a cancer warrior, so I ask myself now… What power do these words truly have? They are just moments on my journey that capture some fear, hope and defiance of mine. Through blogging, I have a platform to express that innermost essence and see what depths or courage emerges in the most unlikely places. Whether you’re in the midst of it, walking a similar path by her side, or holding space from across a collective biosphere—let these reflections be our rebuke once more—that courage is not far away; finding strength and leading with brave hearts are just who we truly are lifted to see.
Morning Routine: What Abilities You’re Taking For Granted (Post-Cancer Focus)
The alarm rings. I hush it without opening my eyes. My feet find the floor, steady and familiar. I stand, I walk, I flip a switch, light appears. I’ve done it so often that I barely notice. That fading is normal. It’s also a kind of forgetting. For many of us touched by cancer, courage…
Read moreQuestions as My Path
Questions as My Path When cancer first entered my world, it arrived as a single word. That word felt cruel. It broke into my body’s safety like a thief at night. Overnight, I became someone I didn’t recognize. I felt small, weak, and scared. In those first days, I sank into a quiet kind of…
Read moreThe Loss of Taste Due to Cancer Treatment
The Loss of Taste Due to Cancer Treatment I’ve been a practicing maxillofacial trauma surgeon for over 30 years. Six years ago, I began my own journey through cancer treatment: chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, stem cell transplant, and CAR T-cell therapy. I write about the practical side effects that show up at home, not just on…
Read moreBad Days Don’t Wipe Out Good Ones: Building a Sane View of Progress
BAD DAYS DON’T WIPE OUT GOOD ONES, BUILDING A SANE VIEW OF PROGRESS When Yesterday Makes You Feel Like You’ve Lost Everything Yesterday knocked me flat. The nausea I hadn’t felt in two weeks came roaring back, and by afternoon I was sure I’d made up any progress from the past few days. I’ve been…
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