New HuffPost Blog Post: Tips for Building a Great Hat Collection After Chemo

My new post is now live on the HuffPost Blog. Hopefully the tips are helpful for cancer patients who are now dealing with the bummer side effect of hair loss. Chemo is a great thing. As many patients are reminded, the fact that the rapidly-multiplying hair cells are destroyed means that the chemo is doing its job on other fast-dividing cells (i.e., cancer). Still, the day the hair falls out is a tough one for so many of us. I'm hoping this will be useful for at least a few patients, or their friends who want to do something to help

Chemo Style: A Cancer Patient's Tips for Building a Great Hat Collection

Denial Ain't a River in Egypt...

In my case, denial appears to be taking the form of a lake--Franklin Lake.

I've signed up for a 2.4 mile open water swim race in June. A year ago, when my mom and Ryan brought me home from the hospital, I was too weak to climb the two stairs from our garage into the house. I've come a long way in a year, but 2.4 miles is still ambitious, particularly since my next ATRA treatment, May 7th - 22nd, will undo any training progress I make before then.

So why have I signed up? Because, like I said, I'm in denial.

Or maybe because I am sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

Or because it's a way to start strengthening my heart, of which I've become overprotective. Cardiomyopathy (hardening of the left ventricle of the heart) occurs as a latent side effect in 3-5% of patients who've received their "lifetime limit" of anthraycline chemotherapy.

Whatever my rational happens to be on the day of the race: the water will be cold; there will be lots of kicking and shoving; a plethora of professional Ironman triathletes will leave me in their wake; my body will cramp up; and I will love every minute of it. Because it will be good pain. It will be living.

If anyone would like to join in 0.5, 1.2, or 2.4 miles of fun: Open Water Swim Registration Form

Ten Tips for an Outpatient Chemo Infusion

As I get organized for this round of my cancer treatment, I thought I'd share a few tips for anyone who stumbles upon this link who's just begun his/her journey toward being cured.