The Journal of a PrizefighterThe Journal of a PrizefighterYoung adult cancer survivor of Hodgkin's Lymphoma shares experiences after two stem cell transplants. Articles
day +232
2008-04-09 22:40:00 In thinking about spending the late summer in Montana and the West Coast, I realize that with regards to my Harlem River Bridges Project this works out quite well. If from the West Coast I went on to New Zealand and the Cook Islands as I had envisioned originally, this dream trip that I estimate to be about 4 months long would mean that I'd return to the US in mid to late December. That would mean that I'd miss the gorgeous fall which is a great time for photography in NYC. There are several parks and bridges that I'd like to capture during this lovely time. I'd also miss the 2008 ING NYC Marathon, which is scheduled for November 2nd. With the experience of having watched and photographed the marathon runners pass through the Bronx at 138th Street last year, now I see where I can get even better pictures of them this year. In fact, as the runners run west along 138th Street they cross into Manhattan via the Madison Avenue Bridge, one of the Harlem River Bridges that I've ...
day +230
2008-04-08 04:12:00 As I type this, my shoulders are a bit sore after the vaccinations that I received this morning.Yep, I was at Sloan for a check-up this morning. My dad accompanied me to the appointment. My blood counts continue to be stellar. (Thank you donor.) The blood test, however, came back positive again for EBV. Despite this, Dr. Castro-Malaspina isn't concerned. He told me that normally a relatively strong immune system will take care of EBV by itself, but the fact that the EBV seems to pop up from time to time suggests that my new T-cells aren't familiar with EBV and therefore, is a sign that they haven't matured fully.My shoulders ache slightly as a result of the vaccinations that I received at my appointment today. The reimmunization process has begun and so, I received the following five vaccinations: polio, hepatitis B, haemophilus influenzae Type b (Hib), Tetanus-Diptheria (Tdap), and pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPV). I'll of course need to receive further doses of these ...
in the news
2008-04-08 04:01:00 Al Gore has pumped mega bucks into his ambitious campaign to galvanize interest and more importantly support amongst the public to the dangers of our global climate crisis. It is too early to know how well his campaign will play out in the end, but MediaCurves.com as reported in Rasmussen Reports has what I found to be a very interesting analysis of at least how Gore's first television ad was received in one study. Notice what happens to the Republican line in the second video. Worrisome.A Shift in the Debate Over Global WarmingCould There Be an Obama-Bloomberg Ticket?The Shape of the Race to ComeWake Up Democrats: You are Hung Up on Barack, But Hillary is What You Need.Survey: "19% Say USA on Right Track." Who ARE These People?Congestion Pricing Plan Dies in AlbanyThe Last Wish of Martin Luther King More About: News , In the News , The News
national young adult cancer awareness week
2008-04-06 14:46:00 Today marks the start of the 6th Annual National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week. Learn more about this event and find a list of relevant resources at Vital Options and at the Lance Armstrong Foundation: Young Adult Alliance.Please take this opportunity to read and sign the petition for the Young Adult Patient Bill of Rights if you haven't done so already.
day +228
2008-04-06 01:32:00 Yesterday I watched a fair amount of the television coverage surrounding the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I watched the speeches by the presidential candidates, listened to some of the reflections of his friends and advisers as well as the commentary by the eyewitnesses of that tragic event 40 years ago.Vivid Recollections of the Day King Was KilledWhat a moment it is going to be when next year on the National Mall besides the monuments dedicated to our greatest presidents, there will be revealed a grand statue in the likeness of Dr. King. It's remarkable really what he did and in many ways unimaginable. It's unimaginably courageous how a private citizen like himself was able to do so more for the greater, common good. Washington, Lincoln, and others were great elected officials who persevered under challenging circumstances, but unlike them King was a private citizen without the arsenal of a government. Whereas these men were o...
sharinghope.tv
2008-04-06 01:14:00 The American Cancer Society has just started a new website geared to the personal experiences of cancer survivors. Called SharingHope.TV, it serves as a friendly space where cancer survivors can share their stories with other survivors via video, audio, and/or photography. There are endless websites devoted to the dissemination of medical information, but at this new, user-friendly website cancer survivors - the real experts - get to learn from and share each others unique stories of survivorship.Matthew Zachery, the founder of I'm Too Young For This, talks beautifully about his own emotional but inspiring journey of survivorship at SharingHope.TV.
**new feed address**
2008-04-05 05:04:00 To those who subscribe to my blog via a RSS feed reader, please update your feeder with my blog's new feed address:http://feeds.feedburner.com/Journ alOfAPrizefighter If you subscribe via e-mail, you may need to resubscribe. Just reenter your e-mail address in the space on the left under "Enter your email address." After a few days, you will no longer be able to receive updates with the former feeder address.Because I obtained a domain name for my blog recently, I had to update its feeder information as well. Sorry for inconvenience. More About: Feed , Address
schmap italy guide 2nd edition
2008-04-04 23:48:00 A photograph that I took back in 2003 while I was in Rome can be found in the second edition of the Schmap Italy Guide . A few weeks ago, a representative from Schmap found my photo of the famous Column of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on Flickr, where all of the other images from that trip are posted. I was asked by the representative if this photo could be used in their upcoming guide to which I said sure. So, here it is!Back then, I was using a simple 35mm film camera, which is why the photograph's sharpness isn't that great. I wish I had taken a better shot of the column, but the important thing I guess is that the photo was good enough for Schmap at least. More About: Edition
cancer bloggers, wanta get a book published?
2008-04-03 16:25:00 If there are any cancer bloggers who are wondering how they might get their blog published into a book one day, then I recommend reading Why Blog? Reason No. 92: Book Deal. It's quite interesting. More About: Cancer , Bloggers , Published
conquer the cancer
2008-04-03 16:18:00 My mom told me about this short but very insightful article titled, Conquer the Cancer , in Tuesday's New York Post. In sum, the article's author encourages newly diagnosed cancer patients to become their best advocates, seek support from family and friends, and if necessary contact cancer advocacy organizations for additional help and information.
lymphoma news
2008-04-03 16:14:00 Family Cancer History Boosts Risk for Hodgkin's Lymphoma Survivors More About: News
driving for donors 2008 tour
2008-04-01 15:49:00 Inspired by Pat Pedraja's remarkable story, I tried to do my little part to help spread the word when I first heard about him several months ago.Well, just recently I received an e-mail from him and his mother asking that I share with others their ambitious 2008 program that will begin in May. Driving for Donors was a huge success in 2007. Working with The National Marrow Donor Program, The Marrow Foundation, law enforcement departments, local donor centers and businesses and the media, they were able to host successful donor drives in over 30 major US cities. In 2007, Driving For Donors was able to add over 6,500 donors to the National Marrow Registry! Remember, he's a 12-year old leukemia survivor. Impressive, isn't it?Since it was such a success last year, an international tour in addition to a domestic tour is planned for this year which will help to raise even greater awareness and further increase the pool of potential unrelated donors for those who are suffering from b... More About: Tour
hearing from my donor
2008-04-01 05:00:00 Back on Thursday the 27th, I received a response from my donor in the mail.Five months have passed since I wrote that special person thanking him for offering me the gift of life.As you can see, my donor didn't sign the greeting card. That's because the NMDP forbids both the recipient and donor from disclosing personal information, such as name or address, until after one year post-transplant. For me, this milestone will take place in late August 2008. After that time, both my donor (if willing) and I will be able to communicate freely and if possible, perhaps meet.This afternoon I was at Sloan-Kettering for a quick blood test followed by a meeting in which I and several other individuals (Sloan cancer survivors and staff) are working to create a newsletter that will focus on the stories and issues of cancer survivors. The hope is that this newsletter will become a quarterly publication, but the goal for the moment is to print two issues this year with its inaugural debut in J... More About: Hearing
the cathedral of baseball's last hurrah
2008-04-01 04:48:00 The 85th and final year of the fabled Yankee Stadium - "The House that Ruth Built" - was scheduled to start this afternoon, but due to rain the Yankees' home opener was canceled. It's supposed to rain tomorrow too, so we'll just have to wait and see if the countdown for the final year of this historic ballpark will begin tomorrow.After a break, I've been trying to keep tabs on the progress of the Yankees' next generation ballpark. I snapped the following photographs on Saturday. Though I wasn't aware of it when I photographed these, it so happened that earlier that day two eagle medallions which are reminiscent of the original ones from the famous 1923 facade, were placed on the main gate of the new stadium.Next week, I plan to start talking with a couple of my friends about purchasing tickets for this final season.Sunday's NYT had a wonderful section devoted almost entirely to the Yankees though not forgetting the Mets, who will also find themselves in a new home come 2009... More About: Cathedral
hike for discovery
2008-04-01 04:40:00 I just learned about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Hike For Discovery , which is a hiking and fundraising program for people who love to be in the great outdoors and want to help people battling blood cancers.I haven't had the opportunity to explore the program's website in great depth, but from first observation is looks interesting.
in the news
2008-04-01 04:32:00 Al Gore's New CampaignIn Pa., She's Got a Friend In Murtha Wed to Strangers, Vietnamese Wives Build Korean LivesZimbabweans Vote, Desperate for ChangeShiite Militias Cling to Swaths of Basra and Stage RaidsIn This Shiite Battle, a Marked Shift From the PastWhen the Islamic World Was Inspired by the West is quite interesting. I will try to check out this art exhibition before it ends in late April.Station Plan Put in Doubt as Garden Opts to StayRobert Fagles, Translator of the Classics, Dies at 74 I own and read copies of his superb translations of The Odyssey and The Iliad. What a masterful writer.A Break From the Game for an Inspiring LessonIn Deep-Dish Pizza Land, a Thinner Blue LineSkipping Cereal and Eggs, and Packing on PoundsNot a Mercury or Saturn, but It Goes Way Off Road More About: News , In the News , The News
senator specter: hodgkin's survivor
2008-03-28 23:15:00 Here's a great interview of Arlen Specter , the senior U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, in which he shares inspirational and insightful details about his battle against stage IVB Hodgkin's Lymphoma which are explained in his new book, Never Give In: Battling Cancer in the Senate.Many thanks to Laura for passing this along. More About: Survivor , Senator
in the news
2008-03-27 00:16:00 A Boy's Life, Guided by the Voice of Cosmic Wonder Bravo!An 'Astounding Time' for Planetary DiscoveriesSpace Shuttle Completes 16-Day Mission, and LandsKindness of Strangers Benefits Tallest ManObama Related to Pitt, Clinton to Jolie According to the study discussed in this article, Obama is related to six past presidents. Interesting.Hillary or Nobody?As Turmoil Subsides, Tourism in Nepal Surges More About: News , In the News , The News
day +200
2008-03-09 01:42:00 Yep, today makes 200 days since my transplant back in late August. Though hopeful about the future, a part of me has grown increasingly concerned recently. (I'm sure the increasingly tense dreadnought race between Obama and Clinton has contributed to this feeling in some small degree). But more seriously, for the past few days I've felt a painless pressure in both my abdomen and chest. You may recall that I had a similar feeling in both my chest and abdomen in the period leading up to my last PET-CT in December, but it turned out to be nothing. I hope that this is case again. Moreover, for the first time since the immediate days following my discharge from Sloan, I threw up on Thursday. I don't really know what caused it. That afternoon I ate fish for lunch, which I had also eaten without a hitch the previous night. Some time after consuming the fish, I ate a few Oreos with milk for a snack. Almost immediately afterwards, I sensed that I might throw up which indeed happe...
latest cancer blogs found
2008-03-07 22:45:00 The following blogs are by young adults dealing with lymphoma or leukemia. InertiaCon Limón Y SalEric's Updates More About: Cancer , Blogs
jennifer needs your support
2008-03-05 22:48:00 Prizefighter and friend, Jennifer Willey, is having a very difficult time right now. As some of you know, after two SCTs for relapsed Hodgkin's Lymphoma she is suffering terribly from a very severe case of GVHD. I just read her latest post and am saddened greatly. I don't know what more to do right now but to send her my love, kindness and thoughts.Please visit her fantastic blog, Hodgkin's Lymphoma Awareness, and leave her words of support and encouragement during this difficult, scary time. More About: Support
day +195
2008-03-03 17:35:00 Su was over Thursday and Friday during which time we watched American Gangster and Goodfellas. I guess you could call it a mobster themed sleepover. Nevertheless, I thought they were both terrific films.I missed American Gangster when it was in the theaters and I had never seen the classic film, Goodfellas, in its entirety.Yesterday was spent outside mostly. Though brisk and cold, the sunny sky was almost free of any clouds which made it a terrific day to go out to photograph. I had received the standard MOFTB still photography permit on Friday in the hope that I'd spend yesterday morning photographing the Willis Avenue Bridge's architectural details from the pedestrian walkway. However, I wasn't surprised really when I arrived at the Manhattan bound entrance to the south pedestrian walkway to find its entrance closed, because just a couple of days earlier as I was traveling across the bridge in a cab I had noticed that construction workers had placed long pipes on that very...
longing for the road
2008-03-03 17:02:00 When I first saw the following commercial by Louis Vuitton, I was struck immediately by its gorgeous cinematography, lovely music, and just the overall romantic inspiration that it imbues and moreover, how positively it must resonate in the hearts of those who, like myself, find both great excitement and hope in the contemplation of their next adventure on the road.Interestingly, the Louis Vuitton commercial reminds me of much of the same magic, adventure, and wonder that is illustrated in The Motorcycle Diaries' trailer.Or perhaps Rosita Forbes said it best:"That is the charm of a map. It represents the other side of the horizon where everything is possible."How I long to hit the road again. . . . More About: Longing , Road , The Road
in the news
2008-03-03 04:12:00 New York Accent: Still Talking the Tawk?Credit Crisis May Make College Loans More CostlyI'm Not Running for President, but . . . is a great, uplifting bipartisan spirited essay by Michael Bloomberg about his decision to not make a run for the White House. He tells it like it is.Throw Out the Old Electoral Map in 2008In Tuesday's Contests, a Party DividedObama Walks a Difficult Path as He Courts Jewish VotersThe Object of His RejectionPlease Call Earth. We Still Haven't Found You. More About: News , In the News , The News
the power of words for cancer patients
2008-02-28 21:23:00 The Power of Words for Cancer Patients is a great NYT article that Laura shared with me. I also recommend reading the readers' comments which are powerful, heart-felt and revealing.The following comment which was posted by "Alex" I found to be most moving.My father was diagnosed with terminal cancer 4 yrs ago. He lived 9 months before the illness claimed him. He was so private and didn’t talk about his emotions very much. But how I wish he had kept a journal during those days, especially when his treatments were working and he felt good. What a gift it would’ve been to have his thoughts and emotions live on in that way, even the painful ones. They were a part of him just as irreplaceable as any other. I still have my memories though, which are of course the most precious gift he gave me.
web casts for young adult cancer survivors
2008-02-27 00:10:00 Below are two very informative, helpful web casts produced by Sloan-Kettering's Post-Treatment Resource Program for young adult cancer survivors though cancer survivors of all ages will benefit from these as well. For many survivors, the information detailed in the web casts may be known already but they're worth watching, I think, as a helpful reminder of some of the important issues that some of us may have had to deal with already or may face in the future. The Cancer Is Over, Now What? For Young Adult s (21-39)Fertility, Pregnancy, and Parenting After Cancer More About: Young Adult , Casts
celebrating a second chance of life
2008-02-27 00:04:00 "Celebrating a Second Chance at Life " is a Transplant Survivorship Symposium sponsored by BMT InfoNet and the National Marrow Donor Program will take place in Dallas, Texas from September 20-21st. This two-day seminar will feature leading experts on issues faced by adult and pediatric transplant survivors including: how to monitor and protect your health long-term; managing emotional and psychological challenges post-transplant; coping with fatigue; chronic graft-versus-host disease; learning and memory problems post-transplant; managing caregiver concerns; unique issues faced by young adult transplant survivors; growth and developmental challenges of pediatric survivors; insurance and employment concerns; sexuality and fertility post-transplant. The symposium will include presentations, workshops and networking opportunities for survivors, their caregivers and other family members. E-mail jo@bmtinfonet.org if you would like to be contacted when registration op...
leukemia & lymphoma society programs
More articles from this author:2008-02-27 00:00:00 "Sexuality and Intimacy After Cancer," which will take place on March 11th, is a free telephone education program offered by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society . Learn more and/or register here."Life Mosaic" is another LLS creation. It's an online collection of personal stories of survivors of leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other blood cancers. You may search for specific stories of interest within the Life Mosaic by disease, age, name and geography. Explore the Life Mosaic and/or share your own story here. More About: Programs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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