Do Quitters Never Win?

Posted September 1st, 2010

Knowing when to stop is an art. When do you know when to push yourself away from the table? When do you know you’ve had enough to drink? When do you decide you’re making enough money, and it’s time to stop climbing the corporate ladder? If you’re being treated for cancer, and things aren’t going […]

Songs for a Blue MoodSongs for a Blue Mood

Posted August 27th, 2010

This is a musical blog, so I hope you have some time.  Click on the links and enjoy some great music. I’m a big Lyle Lovett fan.   He’s a great song writer whose songs bend several musical genres: country, blues, gospel, rock.  He often tours with his Large Band, a 16 piece Texas swing band […]

In Sickness and In Health

Posted August 13th, 2010

My inner voice was screaming. I am REALLY bad at remembering dates. I don’t have a clue as to my parents’ birthdays (I think my mother’s is in June, my Dad’s in May, maybe), their anniversary (February?), my sister’s birthday (May?). I do recall my brother’s birthday was in September. There are dates I really […]

In God We Trust

Posted August 3rd, 2010

I am, as best as I can describe it, a Roman Catholic.  I was raised in the church, have had all the appropriate sacraments for a person of my age, and attend mass (most of the time).  I would be most accurately described as a “cafeteria Catholic”.  That is, I pick and choose those Catholic […]

What To Do When You’re Blind in One Eye

Posted July 28th, 2010

I’ve had a lot of mishaps while riding my bike. I’ve… Fallen over, Been sworn at, Been cut off by cars, Been forced off the road by a car, Ridden into pot holes, Had spokes break, Been bitten by bugs, Had a truck tire blow out about 20 yards behind me, Gotten sun burn, Run […]

The Cancer Kicker

Posted July 20th, 2010

Dylan Trakas had a long bike ride ahead of him. He was in Bellingham, Washington. The ride was going to end in Charlestown, South Carolina, 3997 (not 4000) miles away. College was over and he had no bills to pay. Dylan was looking for an adventure he could look back on in his future, more […]

Fatherless Day

Posted June 20th, 2010

Another Father’s Day has come and gone.  Another Hallmark holiday for the books.  As nice as it is to have a day to recognize Dads, we should also think about the Dads who are with us only in spirit. There must be millions of Americans without their fathers due to cancer.  My daughter was almost […]

Get Off Your Ass!

Posted June 14th, 2010

It may be the last thing on your mind when you’re going through treatment, or recovering from it. It’s exercise, and it may be the best self-help you can do. I’ve been out of shape all my life. I’ve always been over weight, to one degree or another. I never really participated in any kind […]

What Binds Us, Doesn’t Hold Us Together

Posted May 13th, 2010

I work for a legal aid organization in Philadelphia, the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Inc., as a staff attorney.  Many of those I help either are being treated for cancer, or have been treated for it in the past. One of the things that has struck me in the two plus years of working […]

“Clarity or Insanity?” Or “The Toilet Theme”

Posted April 19th, 2010

For about two years before my diagnosis, I had high fevers and night sweats like clockwork, every three to four months. I would start getting teeth chattering, body shaking, chills, and my temperature would glide upward. Over time, I also developed a cough and very itchy skin. To any oncologist, this would be recognized in […]