Celebrating Life While The Cancer Patient Is Still Alive

Posted June 20th, 2018

An email arrived recently from a friend — her grandfather died, and a week and a half later, her grandmother was diagnosed with late stage cancer. “My grandma went through such a long, rough time being a caregiver for my grandpa,” wrote this young woman, “… and now this.” Letters My friend wanted to know […]

Why isn’t it ok to die?

Posted April 9th, 2018

A few weeks back the US House of Representatives passed a “Right to Try” Law. In all honesty, I don’t completely understand the need for this when compassionate use already exists, but that is a topic for another day. The discussions and news stories I heard surrounding this law got me contemplating, why isn’t it […]

Stupid Cancer

Posted February 6th, 2017

On a snowy day last week, mom-in-law Ivalene checked into the emergency room – quite yellow. In the process of correcting her outrageous skin color, pancreatic cancer was discovered. From her hospital bed, mom-in-law has been reminiscing. One of the stories she loves to tell is how she met her husband, Jack, when he was home on leave from the Marines and how […]

Why Cancer Patients Should Write a Life Review Letter

Posted January 23rd, 2017

The title of a New York Times piece written by a palliative physician, Dr. VJ Periyakoil—“Writing a ‘Last Letter’ When You’re Healthy”—caught my eye. Dr. Periyakoil tells the story of one of his patients, a Marine combat veteran, who, when he learned he was dying, expressed his regrets and his love for his wife and pride in […]

5 Ways To Live An Extraordinary Life

Posted April 18th, 2016

Shortly after Hubby died, I read a book by Eugene O’Kelly, Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life. O’Kelly was diagnosed with cancer and given maybe three months to live. His book is about what he wanted to accomplish and how he determined to live those remaining 100 days. It reads like a business book because O’Kelly […]

Rodney Warner

Courage or Desperation?

Posted February 23rd, 2015

Discussions about advanced directives and planning for end of life care are necessary and may help make decisions easier in the end.

We Need to Know When to Stop

Posted September 26th, 2013

Our medical system needs to treat people. We need to know when to stop. All of us, cancer patients, our families and health care providers need to recognize the wants and needs of cancer patients nearing end of life.

CancerLand Bookshelf: The End of Your Life Book Club

Posted November 16th, 2012

Will Schwalbe’s memoir initially hooked me – a relationship with an aging parent focused on books they read and discuss together. That’s my story too! But this book is so much more.