It was almost balmy weather for January in Minnesota (in the thirties) as I walked to the University for a consultation and medication top-ups (injections). With temperatures expected to drop below zero for the next few days, I’m anticipating a period of hibernation. This appointment was therefore well timed.
Category: Health
Monthly Routine
Every four weeks, I undergo testing for a clinical trial. Today’s lineup: lab tests and two full-body scans. The scans show my tumors aren’t growing or spreading, thanks to a promising new therapy. While there’s no cure, we’ve successfully managed this for eight years. I’m grateful.
A Matter of Dignity
It was my annual Medicare physical, a routine appointment that didn’t amount to much. Since a former president bragged about ‘acing’ the cognitive test, claiming it’s incredibly difficult, I’ve opted out. The test is actually quite simple, but the idea of potentially making a mistake on a test he passed with flying colors is unsettling.
Data-Driven Healthcare
Tomorrow, as I do every four weeks, I meet with my oncologist. Rather than speculating about lab results, I like to cycle over to the University the previous day for a blood draw. Results then trickle in to an app on my phone over the next two hours.
Boxed In
Nursing a cold, I didn’t stray far from a box of Kleenex.
Paying the Price of Travel
Downsides of long-haul travel are jet-lag, possibly layered on a cold or worse. Today I failed a COVID test, which is some consolation.
View from Ford Bridge
After oncology appointments scheduled around our upcoming trip to England, I continued my bike ride. At Ford Bridge, I’m looking at the remnants of a Ford Motor Company plant: Ford Hydroelectric Plant and Ford Steam Plant. Up on the bluffs, a new brownfield development is underway, featuring most of the elements of a 15-minute community,… Continue reading View from Ford Bridge
8 Weeks On, 8 Weeks Off
The clinical trial I’m participating in alternates between two treatments, 8 weeks at a time. Seville oranges are discouraged during one of the treatments, one of two ingredients in my go-to marmalade. For the next 8 weeks I can enjoy marmalade and I won’t have to make potentially misunderstood inquiries about the formulation of the… Continue reading 8 Weeks On, 8 Weeks Off
Turning the Tables on Tumor
Came home from a medical appointment with a two-month supply of Enzalutamide costing about the same as a small Tesla. I’d never buy a Tesla, so the comparison is moot; besides, the study is paying. I alternate between this for two months then the study drug for two months — rinse, repeat. So far, the… Continue reading Turning the Tables on Tumor
I’m Being Watched: But It’s Okay (It’s For Science)
Enrolled in a study at the university that tracks my daily activities through a location-aware phone app. The researchers are interested in understanding the time cancer patients dedicate to cancer-care related tasks compared to everyday living. I feel a bit of a fraud because all I have to do is show up at appointments. I’m… Continue reading I’m Being Watched: But It’s Okay (It’s For Science)