The ROS1der Story (my talk at the 2017 IASLC World Lung Cancer Conference in Japan)
This year I was honored to be invited to speak at the 18th IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer in Japan. This is a huge annual conference, with about 7,000 attendees, which takes place in a different location every year. My talk…
Update # 13 — Straddling Two Worlds
I had a PET scan and brain MRI this past week and everything came back clear. No signs of metastases anywhere. I give credit to my anxious pre-scan nightmares, which are obviously super helpful, plus Samantha’s expert prayer skilz (to…
Make a Wish – Lisa Style
Eric and I are huge Survivor fans. We’ve loyally tuned in to every single episode of all 34 seasons since it debuted in May of 2000. It’s a fun and seemingly harmless escape. I say “seemingly harmless” because last year,…
Pathology Lab Field Trip: A Visit with One of the “Hidden Heroes” (Part Two of Two)
Recently, I visited Dr. Charles Lombard, the Medical Director of Pathology at El Camino Hospital, where I was able to see slides of my biopsied cancer cells and tour the lab (see my discussion and pics in my blog Field Trip…
Field Trip to the Pathology Lab! (Part One of Two)
I have a strange idea of what constitutes a fun time these days. I get excited to attend conferences about lung cancer. I’ve been known to look forward to quality time with a friend in an infusion lab. Recently, I…
Fuck the “Fuck Cancer” Warrior Rhetoric
[Trigger Warning: Sorry about the language, Dad] I recently shared an article, “Stop Saying John McCain Will Beat Cancer Because He’s a Fighter,” on my blog’s public FB page, and it triggered a lot of discussion. Personally, I agree with…
My Friend, Molly 1974-2017
Molly and I got diagnosed within a few weeks of each other. Both of us about the same age, moms of two young kids, with no history of smoking and otherwise fit and healthy, shocked by a Stage IV lung…
Update #12 — It’s Quiet Uptown
I went to see Hamilton yesterday. It was kind of a fluke. I felt a bit badly when I scored seats for our family. I wanted to see the show, but not as desperately as I knew many others did…
Call to ACTION: Stop Promoting Lung Cancer Stigma in the Media
Recently, the cover story of the Lung Cancer Special Issue of Cure Magazine set off a firestorm within the lung cancer community. “Quitting Smoking is Possible,” the cover declared in a large red font, and then the magazine flopped open…
Remissssion, Remission! (What does that word mean?)
Remisssssion, Remission! I can’t say that word without channeling Teyve from Fiddler on the Roof. Could be a Jew thing. When I sing “Remission!” like that, it sounds like cause for confident celebration. In truth, the word stirs up a…
