Learning how to live, while trying not to die

A story about my stage 4 colon cancer journey,

growing to trust my inner voice, and how cancer became the best worst thing that ever happened to me

Day after surgery

She sat up. She stood up. She walked. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was a pretty eventful first day after surgery. Gina’s levels are coming back to normal,...

Oct 17, 20191 min read

They just took Gina back to begin surgery. She was in great spirits, a little loopy from the epidural, and she really really wanted a...

Oct 16, 20191 min read

Hard to believe I had my first chemo treatment one year ago today—back when I had lots of hair, clear skin, no real sense of what this...

Oct 1, 20191 min read

This is what optimism looks like. Gina spent the weekend prepping and peeling 45 pounds of Roma tomatoes, fresh from the farmers market,...

Sep 16, 20191 min read

This morning, Gina’s team at MSK gave us great news: her liver has grown back 80% since her liver resection—and the remaining liver...

Sep 7, 20192 min read

It’s chemo eve! And I kind of feel like tomorrow is my first round of chemo after surgery and a nice long chemo break—because this last...

Aug 25, 20192 min read

We made it! ❤️🎶♿️⭐️🍔

Aug 5, 20191 min read

Yesterday came with sudden fevers, accelerated heart rates, and increased pain. I’m glad to report that all three are back to normal....

Jul 20, 20191 min read

Gina is already walking! She did four laps—and stairs! She is doing SO much better than she was at this point after her last surgery....

Jul 18, 20191 min read

Ten months ago, the tumors in Gina's liver were so large and prevalent, that our oncologists simply refused to use the R-word. But...

Jul 16, 20191 min read

I’ll be honest, I’ve been dragging my feet on this update. Dreading it, even. Maybe because I’m still trying to process what they told me...

Jun 20, 20193 min read

Spent the day at MSK yesterday, lots of good momentum! 1) My liver enzymes qualified me for pump chemo, my second round to date 2) I met...

May 21, 20191 min read