Earlier this year the movie, "The Fault In Our Stars" came out. Everyone raved about it. I wasn't sure. I never saw it. But I did sign up in the library to read it. I was something like 453'rd in line to read one of 20 copies.... I figured it would take a very long time.
And Tuesday I got the magic email that finally there was a copy available for me. Tuesday night I downloaded it and started reading. And reading. And reading. I read some more yesterday. And even more last night. Its only 200 pages but I have been busy so I haven't been able to sit down and read for a few hours.
I am most of the way through it at this point. I know what happens at the end essentially so you can't really spoil it for me but I do want to read the rest.
What do I like about it so much? Well the insights into life with cancer. I can relate to lots of them. You know all that stuff that gets donated to cancer patients? They call them Cancer Perks. You know everything from the free hats for bald patients to the autographed sports stuff from athletes.
I love the vocabulary introduced throughout it. Its kind of teenageresque but I can relate. The protagonist (fancy word this early in the day) had thyroid cancer which has made a nice colony in her lungs. If you haven't walked the walk, you may not get it.
But I digress. I plan on finishing it. I may reread it (I have two weeks and I think there are now less than 200 people on the waiting list for one of the 20 copies). And I want to do a little more research. I think the story is somewhat based on a real teenage girl and I want to find out more about the author to see how they managed to write with such insights into cancer land. I might even watch the movie sometime soon.
But in the meantime, I will keep reading and I recommend it for anyone in cancerland.
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2015
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Medical guidelines discovered
Yesterday, in my usual scouring of the internet for the magic cure for all my ailments, I found an article about variability in cancer treatment and compliance with guidelines. Its an interesting read and how to make sure you are getting the right treatment with second opinions, good insurance coverage (plan ahead), yada yada yada.
And then I asked myself, what guidelines? I have always assumed that some little group of doctors got together and over a few beers put together their guidelines for treatment for each ailment. Little did I know that NCIC provides guidelines for treatment of all cancers. Some of them are even available in patient format - meaning readable in by normal people who did not go to medical school. You can see the treatment guidelines for stage I and II breast cancer here. And a list for all available patient guidelines by cancer type.
I cannot tell you how cool this is. How often have I wondered about my treatment plan, was it in compliance with guidelines - meaning did it give me the best possible treatment? It was a lot of good reading and I want to review it all.
Then if you go to the link for clinical practice guidelines, at the very bottom of the page is a link to all guidelines which takes you here for even more reading but it quickly becomes a bit technical because it is aimed at doctors. Feel free to start deciphering.
Finally, there was a link to the guidelines for other diseases - meaning not cancer - which are at the National Guideline Clearinghouse. These are uber-cool. I immediately looked up RA and will move on to fibromyalgia shortly.
So do not click the links unless you have a few hours to give yourself reassurance that your treatment plans are correct. They will suck you in quickly. I am going to work an hour late because I got a tiny bit side tracked.
And then I asked myself, what guidelines? I have always assumed that some little group of doctors got together and over a few beers put together their guidelines for treatment for each ailment. Little did I know that NCIC provides guidelines for treatment of all cancers. Some of them are even available in patient format - meaning readable in by normal people who did not go to medical school. You can see the treatment guidelines for stage I and II breast cancer here. And a list for all available patient guidelines by cancer type.
I cannot tell you how cool this is. How often have I wondered about my treatment plan, was it in compliance with guidelines - meaning did it give me the best possible treatment? It was a lot of good reading and I want to review it all.
Then if you go to the link for clinical practice guidelines, at the very bottom of the page is a link to all guidelines which takes you here for even more reading but it quickly becomes a bit technical because it is aimed at doctors. Feel free to start deciphering.
Finally, there was a link to the guidelines for other diseases - meaning not cancer - which are at the National Guideline Clearinghouse. These are uber-cool. I immediately looked up RA and will move on to fibromyalgia shortly.
So do not click the links unless you have a few hours to give yourself reassurance that your treatment plans are correct. They will suck you in quickly. I am going to work an hour late because I got a tiny bit side tracked.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Shallowness has its place
When dealing with the stress, sometimes we resort to the silly side of life and satire. I mean why not? Its coping as best we can.
Shortly after my diagnosis, I read a great book called "Cancer Made Me A Shallower Person" by Miriam Engelberg. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and died from it in 2006. When I read her book in late 2007 or early 2008, I think I threw it across the room when I figured out she died. I was mad. I was not ready for sad endings.
In the six plus years since I have often thought of this book and how I should give it a second chance. It was the first graphic novel I read so perhaps that is part of my response to it. Now, I just read this blog post on the New York Times Well section, living with cancer, Living with Cancer: "Chronic not Cured". Now I think it will read it again. I hope the library still has a copy.
Shortly after my diagnosis, I read a great book called "Cancer Made Me A Shallower Person" by Miriam Engelberg. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and died from it in 2006. When I read her book in late 2007 or early 2008, I think I threw it across the room when I figured out she died. I was mad. I was not ready for sad endings.
In the six plus years since I have often thought of this book and how I should give it a second chance. It was the first graphic novel I read so perhaps that is part of my response to it. Now, I just read this blog post on the New York Times Well section, living with cancer, Living with Cancer: "Chronic not Cured". Now I think it will read it again. I hope the library still has a copy.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Medical guidelines discovered
Yesterday, in my usual scouring of the internet for the magic cure for all my ailments, I found an article about variability in cancer treatment and compliance with guidelines. Its an interesting read and how to make sure you are getting the right treatment with second opinions, good insurance coverage (plan ahead), yada yada yada.
And then I asked myself, what guidelines? I have always assumed that some little group of doctors got together and over a few beers put together their guidelines for treatment for each ailment. Little did I know that NCIC provides guidelines for treatment of all cancers. Some of them are even available in patient format - meaning readable in by normal people who did not go to medical school. You can see the treatment guidelines for stage I and II breast cancer here. And a list for all available patient guidelines by cancer type.
I cannot tell you how cool this is. How often have I wondered about my treatment plan, was it in compliance with guidelines - meaning did it give me the best possible treatment? It was a lot of good reading and I want to review it all.
Then if you go to the link for clinical practice guidelines, at the very bottom of the page is a link to all guidelines which takes you here for even more reading but it quickly becomes a bit technical because it is aimed at doctors. Feel free to start deciphering.
Finally, there was a link to the guidelines for other diseases - meaning not cancer - which are at the National Guideline Clearinghouse. These are uber-cool. I immediately looked up RA and will move on to fibromyalgia shortly.
So do not click the links unless you have a few hours to give yourself reassurance that your treatment plans are correct. They will suck you in quickly. I am going to work an hour late because I got a tiny bit side tracked.
And then I asked myself, what guidelines? I have always assumed that some little group of doctors got together and over a few beers put together their guidelines for treatment for each ailment. Little did I know that NCIC provides guidelines for treatment of all cancers. Some of them are even available in patient format - meaning readable in by normal people who did not go to medical school. You can see the treatment guidelines for stage I and II breast cancer here. And a list for all available patient guidelines by cancer type.
I cannot tell you how cool this is. How often have I wondered about my treatment plan, was it in compliance with guidelines - meaning did it give me the best possible treatment? It was a lot of good reading and I want to review it all.
Then if you go to the link for clinical practice guidelines, at the very bottom of the page is a link to all guidelines which takes you here for even more reading but it quickly becomes a bit technical because it is aimed at doctors. Feel free to start deciphering.
Finally, there was a link to the guidelines for other diseases - meaning not cancer - which are at the National Guideline Clearinghouse. These are uber-cool. I immediately looked up RA and will move on to fibromyalgia shortly.
So do not click the links unless you have a few hours to give yourself reassurance that your treatment plans are correct. They will suck you in quickly. I am going to work an hour late because I got a tiny bit side tracked.
I'm reading
Earlier this year the movie, "The Fault In Our Stars" came out. Everyone raved about it. I wasn't sure. I never saw it. But I did sign up in the library to read it. I was something like 453'rd in line to read one of 20 copies.... I figured it would take a very long time.
And Tuesday I got the magic email that finally there was a copy available for me. Tuesday night I downloaded it and started reading. And reading. And reading. I read some more yesterday. And even more last night. Its only 200 pages but I have been busy so I haven't been able to sit down and read for a few hours.
I am most of the way through it at this point. I know what happens at the end essentially so you can't really spoil it for me but I do want to read the rest.
What do I like about it so much? Well the insights into life with cancer. I can relate to lots of them. You know all that stuff that gets donated to cancer patients? They call them Cancer Perks. You know everything from the free hats for bald patients to the autographed sports stuff from athletes.
I love the vocabulary introduced throughout it. Its kind of teenageresque but I can relate. The protagonist (fancy word this early in the day) had thyroid cancer which has made a nice colony in her lungs. If you haven't walked the walk, you may not get it.
But I digress. I plan on finishing it. I may reread it (I have two weeks and I think there are now less than 200 people on the waiting list for one of the 20 copies). And I want to do a little more research. I think the story is somewhat based on a real teenage girl and I want to find out more about the author to see how they managed to write with such insights into cancer land. I might even watch the movie sometime soon.
But in the meantime, I will keep reading and I recommend it for anyone in cancerland.
And Tuesday I got the magic email that finally there was a copy available for me. Tuesday night I downloaded it and started reading. And reading. And reading. I read some more yesterday. And even more last night. Its only 200 pages but I have been busy so I haven't been able to sit down and read for a few hours.
I am most of the way through it at this point. I know what happens at the end essentially so you can't really spoil it for me but I do want to read the rest.
What do I like about it so much? Well the insights into life with cancer. I can relate to lots of them. You know all that stuff that gets donated to cancer patients? They call them Cancer Perks. You know everything from the free hats for bald patients to the autographed sports stuff from athletes.
I love the vocabulary introduced throughout it. Its kind of teenageresque but I can relate. The protagonist (fancy word this early in the day) had thyroid cancer which has made a nice colony in her lungs. If you haven't walked the walk, you may not get it.
But I digress. I plan on finishing it. I may reread it (I have two weeks and I think there are now less than 200 people on the waiting list for one of the 20 copies). And I want to do a little more research. I think the story is somewhat based on a real teenage girl and I want to find out more about the author to see how they managed to write with such insights into cancer land. I might even watch the movie sometime soon.
But in the meantime, I will keep reading and I recommend it for anyone in cancerland.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Shallowness has its place
When dealing with the stress, sometimes we resort to the silly side of life and satire. I mean why not? Its coping as best we can.
Shortly after my diagnosis, I read a great book called "Cancer Made Me A Shallower Person" by Miriam Engelberg. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and died from it in 2006. When I read her book in late 2007 or early 2008, I think I threw it across the room when I figured out she died. I was mad. I was not ready for sad endings.
In the six plus years since I have often thought of this book and how I should give it a second chance. It was the first graphic novel I read so perhaps that is part of my response to it. Now, I just read this blog post on the New York Times Well section, living with cancer, Living with Cancer: "Chronic not Cured". Now I think it will read it again. I hope the library still has a copy.
Shortly after my diagnosis, I read a great book called "Cancer Made Me A Shallower Person" by Miriam Engelberg. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and died from it in 2006. When I read her book in late 2007 or early 2008, I think I threw it across the room when I figured out she died. I was mad. I was not ready for sad endings.
In the six plus years since I have often thought of this book and how I should give it a second chance. It was the first graphic novel I read so perhaps that is part of my response to it. Now, I just read this blog post on the New York Times Well section, living with cancer, Living with Cancer: "Chronic not Cured". Now I think it will read it again. I hope the library still has a copy.
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