Patient & Researcher Blog

Here I aim to capture what I am learning as a newbie researcher from a patient perspective.

Living with a slow growing brain cancer

It is taboo for researchers to talk about their work before it is published.

I think that’s a bummer.

My favorite part about research is learning new things in real time. Here I share my observations as a learner and my n of 1 (personal) findings as a patient.

Note: I started blogging about brain cancer in 2008, at age 29.

I had no background or knowledge about healthcare when I began. Please excuse typos and other misconceptions. What you read here is me in real time, like a time capsule.

There are more than 500 posts here. Use this search to look for something specific. Good luck!

Liz Salmi 8/21/13 Liz Salmi 8/21/13

Braces and brain scans: straightening your teeth with brain cancer

Us MRI Elite are told to complete a form asking about all metallic objects that may be hidden in and around our body before we have each scan. There are about 30 standard questions, including: Do you wear a pacemaker? Do you have a shunt? Do you have any metal plates or screws in your body? Do you have any metal fragments in your eyes? Have you ever worked with metal objects? Have you ever attended a Slayer concert? (Not really, but imagine that!)