The first time I sat in an oncology exam room, my mind went blank. All the questions I practiced in the car vanished. The pain that scared me most suddenly felt hard to describe. I walked out with new orders and new worries, but without the one thing I really wanted: to feel heard. That…
Read moreCategory: Articles on cancer and other life-threatening diseases
How I Talk to My Kids About Cancer at Different Ages
The day I first heard the word Cancer attached to my body, the whole room changed. Sounds grew thick. Time slowed. All I could think about was my children and one burning question: How do I tell them? Talking to kids about cancer asks so much of a parent. Your own fear sits in your…
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Making decisions after a cancer diagnosis
The words land first. “You have cancer.” The room still looks the same, but nothing feels the same. You may hear the doctor talking, see lips moving, yet inside, everything goes quiet. Then the questions rush in at once. What now? What do I choose? How do I stay standing? In that moment, cancer diagnosis…
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Living with Parkinson’s Disease
What does it feel like when your own body stops following your lead? For many people, hearing the words “You have Parkinson’s disease” lands with the same shock as hearing “You have cancer.” Time bends, the room blurs, and a new life begins in the space of a single breath. In this space, I see…
Read moreWhat I Wish I Knew Before My First Chemo Infusion (A Patient’s Checklist)
No one forgets their first chemo infusion. The sounds of beeping pumps, the weight of the recliner, the cold snap of the alcohol swab on your skin. It can feel like stepping into a different life in a single day. You may know the date and time on your calendar, but your heart still asks,…
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