The scene: The bank. The scene setting: A very long line and just one teller, because banks don’t want you to have a personal experience with bank people any more.  The bank used to be one of the places a person could go year after year and really have a relationship with a banker.  You(…)

As bad as cancer is, and it is bad, there are ‘pieces’ of it that bring people together.  I mean really bring people together, years after the worst of cancer has happened. In my experience, I watched Leroy’s circle of friends grow and surround him with love and kindness and caring.  I watched his pals(…)

It’s another day of flash backs. It’s our wedding anniversary.    

Leroy E. Sievers Born June 16, 1955….Turning the BIG 6-2 tomorrow, don’t I wish. Instead, I’m writing about him tonight and thinking about the ‘what if’s’ of a life cut short two months shy of 9 years ago. Colon cancer is a nasty cancer.  It brought down a 6-foot 5-inch tower of strength in a(…)

There are some cancers people don’t get.  When it hits home in the form of a ‘mass cell tumor’ on the most loving, special girl who walks on four legs, it really doesn’t matter. It’s still cancer and it’s still serious and for the humans who love this dog, it is nervous time. High anxiety knocked(…)

I remember the day he was born and now he’s graduating high school. From his first day to his present day so much has unfolded.  He’s grown into a super kid.  He had his moments as a little guy when he wanted things his way or no way, but we all went through those years. School came a little(…)

It’s been 15 months since she lost the love of her life and he died after a very short, very intense cancer struggle that turned her family upside down. There were the kids first-of-all, who thought their Dad would live forever. Nothing, much less cancer, would ever take him away. If he always came home from the scariest(…)

Here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the country, it’s been a very mild Spring.  There’s been so much rain I have a variety of mushrooms growing in the woods around me.  So I’ve been a little slower going from warmer to cooler clothes.  My closet still shows evidence of Winter.  Today was the day I(…)

HAIR It’s such a part of who we are, how we identify ourselves and when we hear the words, “You have cancer,” one of the first things we ask the doctor when he mentions chemotherapy is “Will I lose my hair?” Most of the time a regiment of chemo means losing your hair.  It really(…)

It’s the new deal in treatment.  It’s called “precision medicine.” Expensive, targeted meds designed to tackle specific tumors.  The same med that works on certain colon cancers could also be effective against another specific tumor. There’s another “precision medicine” in my book.  That’s the one where you, the care giver, advocating for your patient needs(…)