The Job No One Offered to Hire You to Do When I got my treatment plan from my oncologist, I understood every line. After 34 years as a surgeon, that part felt familiar. What I didn’t understand, what no one warned me about, was the second job that arrived with the diagnosis. There was no…
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Overcoming the Obstacles of a Chronic Disease
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 moreHow to Find Strength When Life Becomes Difficult (Especially During Cancer)
Life can change in one phone call. One day you’re making plans, paying bills, showing up for work, thinking about next month. Then something hits, and the map you were using no longer matches the ground under your feet. If you’ve been searching for How to find strenght when life becomes difficiult, it’s probably because…
Read moreParkinson’s, the Unpaid Roommate
Parkinson’s, the Unpaid Roommate Parkinson’s has a talent for showing up early and acting like it owns the place. Some mornings it’s a small tremor in your hand, like you’re auditioning to be a human maraca. Other mornings it’s your foot, glued to the floor, as if the kitchen tiles filed a restraining order. You…
Read moreAnemia During Chemo and Breathless Days: Handling Shortness of Breath, Dizziness, and “Can’t Catch My Breath” Moments
Have you ever tried to take a full breath and felt like your body just wouldn’t cooperate? During anemia during chemo, that feeling can show up out of nowhere, in the grocery store aisle, on the stairs, or even while you’re lying still in bed. It’s frightening, and it can also feel lonely. Cancer treatment…
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