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

Recovery is no straight line

I’ll start by saying that Gina seems to be doing much better as of this evening, but the past 48 hours have been pretty harrowing. Gina...

Oct 27, 20191 min read

Just a quick update to let you know that Gina has been re-admitted to MSK. She woke up early this morning with sharp pains under her...

Oct 25, 20191 min read

Today was a better day. We ventured out to lunch with a finely tuned plan: “We are not going to have a conversation on the way.” “Agreed;...

Oct 22, 20192 min read

I got my quesadilla today. But it came at a cost. I figured I would be fine to walk 0.2 miles to lunch. That’s only a few blocks, and we...

Oct 21, 20193 min read

Gina has been discharged!!! The doctors and nurses at MSKCC took such amazing care of her there, it makes it almost not feel totally...

Oct 20, 20191 min read

It’s day three at MSK, and we are set to be discharged tomorrow! Versus my past procedures, I cannot get over how very TIRED I am. If I’m...

Oct 19, 20191 min read

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

After two surgeries, I’m well aware that today I’ll be having my last “real” meals for at least the next five days. Plus I woke up...

Oct 15, 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

I was back at MSK yesterday for chemo #18. My liver enzymes are creeping up, but Dr Kemeny watches them carefully, and I was relieved...

Sep 10, 20193 min read