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!
Other people's cancer
Sometimes I am so pissed at the world of brain cancer that I look at other cancers like they are inferior and not as crazy or as bad. But that is a bullshit mentality. I look at this girl and all the fucked-up-ness she's endured and realize that all cancers are evil.
National Brain Tumor Society refers patient support to Imerman Angels
National Brain Tumor Society recently sent an announcement that they will be discontinuing their Patient Line and Support Network to instead focus more on research and public policy. While I am bummed about the discontinuation of the patient support network (as I was one of the support peeps) I totally understand the decision made by the NBTS board of directors.
Traveling with brain cancer and epilepsy
When in Rome, take your anti-seizure pills on local time.
A little tumble down the stairs can't keep me from fighting cancer
The HR people told me I should leave and go to the hospital to get checked out. But I couldn't... today was an important day because I had to go to the UC Davis AYA Cancer Advisory Board meeting. There was no way I was going to miss my first meeting. I didn't want to be a flake.
Neurosurgeons: They better want to be there
The average actual salary of a neurosurgeon is $470,000.
Best looking person with brain cancer
You are the best looking person with brain cancer I have ever seen!
The meaning of the cancer tattoo
The octopus in my tattoo represents a combination of things. It is the chemotherapy drug that, once passed through the blood-brain barrier, seeps through my brain tissue, finds the tentacles of my tumor, killing cancerous cells. The octopus can also represent a mental image of a smart creature protecting me from the claws of a crab.
Cancer-inspired tattoo is ruling my world
Instead of having a surgery this year (like I've had for the past three years), I'm consenting to a brain cancer-inspired tattoo.
Use it or lose it: the no-exercise confession
The bad thing was that the odd sensation I get while exercising due to sensory loss from my last brain surgery was overly weird and disconcerting. That's right... the thing most out of shape was my body's response to brain damage.