Column: ‘Shrinkage’
Not exactly “like a frightened turtle” as “similed” on a long-ago Seinfeld episode by Jerry himself; this shrinkage is the good kind, the kind you hope a radiological oncologist characterizes when viewing your CT Scan (computed tomography).
“Shrinkage”
Not exactly “like a frightened turtle” as “similed” on a long-ago Seinfeld episode by Jerry himself; this shrinkage is the good kind, the kind you hope a radiological oncologist characterizes when viewing your CT Scan (computed tomography). Specifically, the exact kind of scan I get every three months to assess and evaluate the tumors, and fluid, in my stage IV, non-small cell cancer-affected lungs.
Editorial: Holidays Are About Giving
Give thanks and share; tens of thousands of families around us are in need.
The holidays are about giving, and giving thanks. The holidays are about children and family. The holidays are about sharing, about joy. The holidays are about being thankful and about faith and appreciation. The holidays are about alleviating suffering for others. Surrounded by the bounty in so many neighborhoods in Northern Virginia, many of us see little signs of the massive unmet needs here. But in Fairfax County Public Schools, more than 52,000 of the students are poor enough to receive free or subsidized meals, a significant measure of poverty.
Editorial: Why Shop Small? Shop Large Locally
Small business Saturday isn’t enough; don’t wait until then, and don’t stop after that.
There is a joy to shopping in local stores at the holidays, to participating in community traditions and celebrations, to walking along a sidewalk with the streets decked out for the holidays, to being greeted by someone likely to be the owner of the store, to finding gifts that are not mass-produced.
Column: And The “Scancer” Is…
Unknown at this date – Saturday, November 15. In fact, it will be six days from now until we’ll know the results. As it is always scheduled, a week or so after my quarterly CT Scan, we will have our usual follow-up, face-to-face appointment with my oncologist.
Letter to the Editor: Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse
To the Editor: I appreciate your coverage on the work that Shelter House is doing in the Reston community and elsewhere. Domestic violence is a very serious issue that doesn’t seem to receive enough attention for how widespread of an issue it is.
Commentary: Resources and Support for the Caregiver
If you have ever been in the position of providing ongoing, long-term care for a loved one, you are very familiar with the sacrifices involved. You should also know that you are not alone. Whether it is a result of illness, disability, or injury, 39 percent of all adult Americans are caring for an older loved one - an increase from 30 percent in 2010.
Editorial: Thanksgiving Help for Those in Need
Roll up those sleeves and help.
This week is the week to jump in to help the many organizations that will help needy families through the holidays. Here are a few ideas of how to help, but the opportunities are limitless. More than 236,000 people living in the area do not have access to enough food to sustain an active, healthy life for all members of their households, according to Catholic Charities. That is to say, more than a quarter of a million people, including many children, go hungry on a regular basis.
Column: Excuse Me
Early on during my indoctrination/assimilation into the cancer-patient world in which I now reside, I remember asking a fellow cancer patient/friend if I could use cancer as an excuse for whatever it was needed excusing (directly or indirectly related), and she said: absolutely, “blame the cancer.”
Column: Dos, Don’ts and What-Ifs
Instinctively, I am not the most open-to-new-ideas/new-things kind of person. However, an unexpected diagnosis of stage IV, non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at age 54 and a half – along with its equally unexpected “13-month to two-year prognosis,” changes a few things.
Column: Running Out of Efficacy
Not that I’m the least bit worried (actually, I’m the most bit worried), but surviving a terminal cancer diagnosis years beyond one’s original prognosis does present its own unique set of problems.
Editorial: Change for the Better in Fairfax County Schools
Later start times, full-day Mondays; who knows, next maybe gifted-and-talented programs for poor students?
Who says big bureaucracies can’t make big changes? One year into the tenure of Karen Garza, we have two huge changes that between them impact almost every single student, every family with children in Fairfax County Public Schools.
Opinion: Don’t Honk at Me for Being Cautious
In 2007, a member of my family was nearly killed by a driver who failed to yield on green turning left from Old Keene Mill Road onto Huntsman Boulevard. The driver then claimed to be on Government business at the time and with the help of a Government insurance company seemed to avoid much personal inconvenience despite having caused a terrible accident.
Column: Self-Indulgent or Self-Effacing
After re-reading last week’s column: “Not in the Mood,” I began wondering if that column had strayed beyond the boundaries, so to speak, and was too much about me and not enough about my circumstances.
Self-Indulgent or Self-Effacing
After re-reading last week’s column: “Not in the Mood,” I began wondering if that column had strayed beyond the boundaries, so to speak, and was too much about me and not enough about my circumstances. Certainly I understand, given my column’s recurring theme, that the subjects of me and my circumstances – and the personal stories I share with you regular readers – are basically the same. Still, I never want the content to be considered important because it’s MY life that’s being profiled. Quite the contrary. If the columns were any more about me, you wouldn’t be interested.