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

Dec 5, 20191 min read

Drained

After years of making Scarpetta’s pasta recipe, I finally took my mom there! She’s here in New York with me, and I am lucky to have her...

Nov 18, 20191 min read

The drains stay

Well, today did not go quite as planned. We’re on our way back to Chicago with two drains still in tow, and having not restarted chemo....

Nov 4, 20193 min read

The maxi-pad on my chest, and other cancer indignities

We’re home! But wow has this surgery (and its recovery) kicked my ass. Nothing is easy. I get winded walking to the bathroom. If I’m...

Oct 28, 20191 min read

Resection results

We’ve been so caught up dealing with the side effects from Gina’s liver resection, that we were caught off guard when her surgeon came in...

Oct 27, 20191 min read

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 25, 20191 min read

Back to MSK

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 20, 20191 min read

Discharged!

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 19, 20191 min read

Reminder to be (a) patient

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 17, 20191 min read

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 16, 20191 min read

Ready for resection

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 1, 20191 min read

The year anniversary of my first chemo

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...

Sep 16, 20191 min read

Optimistic on our first Cancerversary

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