A clinical trial consent form can land in your hands when your mind already feels full. You may be weighing cancer treatment, a possible remission, side effects, family needs, and the fear that comes with a life-threatening disease. Reading the form is part of an ongoing informed consent process in clinical research, not a one-time…
Switching Oncologists During Treatment: Records and Questions Checklist
Changing doctors during cancer treatment can feel like stepping off a moving train. You may feel unheard, worry about a gap in care, or need a specialist your current clinic cannot provide. Switching oncologists may be worth exploring when concerns about communication, safety, access, or quality of care arise. You do not need to prove…
How to Build a Cancer Medication List Your Whole Care Team Can Use
A pill bottle can look simple until you’re tired, nauseated, late for an appointment, and trying to remember whether you took the morning dose. During cancer treatment, a clear cancer medication list gives you and your care team one reliable place to start. It can also help during an emergency or while managing another serious…
What Nurses Know
What Nurses Know A nurse who brings you a warm blanket before you think to ask for one. A nurse who adjusts the screen so you can see your own information. A nurse who apologizes for the pain and understands both parts of that statement. A nurse who notices that you have fallen silent and…
The Flavor of Steel
The Flavor of Steel Sunday’s roast was the first bite. I’d been waiting for it, just like I always did. My wife had prepared it the way she always had. I inserted my fork. Pennies and cardboard came back at me from the place where the fork had entered. I chewed. I swallowed. I stared…
