Tag Archives: skin cancer
the good, the bad, and the fucking weird
This morning, I can feel the tendrils of indian summer folding back the edges of summer proper. I usually feel a tinge of sadness at this time of year – a little bit of post-birthday blues along with my seasonal … Continue reading →
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Tagged cancer, cancer progression, cancer treatment, clinical trial, false progression, friendship, health, IL-2, immune system, immunology, immunotherapy, Korea, life, melanoma, melanoma complications, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic cancer, metastatic melanoma, mortality, pseudo progression, skin cancer, stable disease, stage 4 cancer, stage 4 melanoma, t-cells, tumor growth, tumors
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15 Comments
back in the saddle again
“Angry. Sad. Terrified… The usual suspects. And a few I can’t identify.” That’s how I responded to a text message from my close friend, Aubrie, last Thursday morning. She was texting to see how I was holding up in the … Continue reading →
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Tagged cancer, cancer research, cancer treatment, documentary, fuck cancer, immunotherapy, infusions, ipilimumab, Korea, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, mortality, MRI, nivolumab, scans, skin cancer, stage 4 cancer
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20 Comments
the verdict
Part I – Written in my journal Friday morning… 7/15/16 Today is huge. HUGE. I feel like I’m on my way to a courthouse to be sentenced, knowing that I haven’t done anything wrong but afraid that the jury is … Continue reading →
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Tagged BRAF, BRAF inhibitors, BRAFV600, cancer, cancer treatment, cobimetinib, cotellic, documentary, documentary film, filmmaking, fuck cancer, immunotherapy, ipilimumab, ipilimumab side effects, ipilimumab success, living with cancer, malignant melanoma, MEK inhibitors, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma recurrence, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, nivolumab, NYU, NYU Langone, PET scan, photosensitivity, side effects, skin cancer, stage 4 melanoma, stage four cancer, stage four melanoma, targeted therapy, treatment, tumors, vemurafenib, vemurafenib side effects, writing, zelboraf
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15 Comments
A Kick in the Asana
Hey y’all. So, I’m super-duper excited… my first post is up on Cure Magazine’s website. Please share the following link if you’re so inclined!! A Kick in the Asana: How Cancer Made Me a Yoga Person Also, I super-duper promise … Continue reading →
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Tagged blogging, BRAF, BRAFV600, breathe n flow, cancer, child's pose, cobimetinib, community, cotellic, Cure Magazine, fuck cancer, immunotherapy, ipilimumab, ipilimumab side effects, ipilimumab success, journalism, malignant melanoma, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, namaste, nivolumab, side effects, skin cancer, stage 4 melanoma, stage four melanoma, targeted therapy, thyroid, treatment, tree pose, vemurafenib, vemurafenib side effects, writing, yoga, yoga and illness, yoga practice, yoga with cancer, zelboraf
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3 Comments
Sun In The Sky, You Know How I Feel
Here’s the abridged version of what’s happened since my postcard. I was on the Vem/Cobi Combo for exactly three weeks. Since Cobimetinib (The MEK inhibitor) is a three week on, one week off med (like birth control), I was due … Continue reading →
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Tagged blogging, BRAF, BRAF inhibitors, BRAFV600, cancer, cobimetinib, cotellic, dabrafenib, fuck cancer, immunotherapy, ipilimumab, ipilimumab side effects, journalism, malignant melanoma, MEK inhibitors, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, nina simone, NYU Langone, photosensitivity, pura vida, side effects, skin cancer, stage 4 melanoma, stage four melanoma, suicide, sun protection, sunscreen, targeted therapy, thyroid, trametinib, treatment, TSH, vemurafenib, vemurafenib side effects, writing, writing career, zelboraf
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2 Comments
postcard from transylvania
You know that scene in, like, every single vampire movie ever… the one where the undead’s skin catches a sliver of sunlight and spontaneously bursts into flames? Well, that kinda sorta happened to me. I was grateful for the fact … Continue reading →
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Tagged anaphylaxis, BRAF, BRAFV600, cancer, cobimetinib, cotellic, documentary, epipen, filmmaking, fuck cancer, malignant melanoma, melanoma, melanoma prognosis, melanoma progression, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, NYU, NYU Langone, side effects, skin cancer, stage 4 melanoma, stage four melanoma, targeted therapy, treatment, vemurafenib, vemurafenib side effects, zelboraf
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8 Comments
T.K.O. in four rounds
as i sit down to write this, i’m feeling an anxiety/ambivalence only second to the night i activated my ‘you caring’ account and posted my diagnosis on facebook. the reasons i am guarded now are so, so different from the reasons … Continue reading →
Treatment Deets
SO… Here’s the deal, in plain language. I will be getting infused with two different drugs. One is called ipilimumab and the other is called nivolumab. The ‘ipi’, as my doc affectionately refers to it as, has been around for a … Continue reading →
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Tagged cancer, expanded access program, ipilimumab, melanoma treatment, metastatic melanoma, nivolumab, NYU, skin cancer
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4 Comments
Jen vs. Cancer 