Little White Dot (3/3/23) On January 31st, I had an MRI that revealed what looked like a little white dot. This spot was seen on scans used with contrast, meaning something was going on there that involved blood. The worst-case scenario was that this spot was an area of “enhancing tumor,” or tumor recruiting my …
Snooze
A brief reflection on my current energy level and the tug and pull between logic and emotions
Choosing Limbo?
Transitions I just took my first sip of a latte at one of my favorite cafes in Brookline. My first coffee shop trip since surgery! Coffee shops, with their ambient noise (and of course endless array of pastries and coffee), are my favorite places to write. And if you have put one and two together, …
Some good news before surgery (and ways to help)
Before I start this post, I want to say thank you for all the kind words. Please know I have read every comment and text, even if I haven't had the capacity to respond. I hope we can connect following my surgery. For over a month I have been practicing how to brush my teeth, …
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F&#K This Can
It was over a year ago when I wrote my last post to commemorate my 30th birthday. In that blog on August 21st, 2021, I mentioned a possible recurrence. A small spot appearing on the MRI scans that could have been either tumor or scar tissue. And then I left you hanging… I’m sorry about …
On Turning 30 Years Old: Living a life guided by my values
I never thought I would make it to my 30th birthday, but here I am! I don’t mean for this to be a grandiose statement, it’s simply fact. Over the past 18 years since I was diagnosed at the age of 12, I have gone through my first diagnosis followed by surgery, months in the …
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Update: MRI is Stable!
Yesterday I started my first day of work, and today my MRI is stable! A great start to the week. Going into today’s appointments, I was worried. My concern didn’t stem from any physical symptoms, but the fact that there was so much good going on in my life (despite COVID-19): Graduating with my masters, …
End of an Era. On to a New Chapter!
On Monday, May 4th, I received an email from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate Division that my thesis was accepted. I was on the edge of my seat holding back my burgeoning excitement. I assumed this was the email I had been waiting for since submitting my thesis a week ago to fulfill my final graduation requirement, …
Latest in Brain Tumor Treatments and Trials – CURETALKS
A month ago, I participated in a live radio show with CURETALKS about the latest in brain tumor treatments and trials. CURETALKS host, Priya Menon, moderated the segment that featured Dr. Nancy Ann Oberheim Bush from UCSF's Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Along with my friend and patient advocate, Adam Hayden, I had the …
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CURE Voices: When Living With Serious Illness, What is Considered Courageous?
As the new decade begins, I've reflected more on the meaning of courage as I embark on an enormous transition in my life.