the year in review

Kudos to the folks at JibJab for yet another colorfully creative video!

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update

I just heard back from my general practitioner regarding labs drawn to test my testosterone and thyroid. Both are normal.

Following the recommendation of my nurse practitioner, this morning I saw my dermatologist, who really didn't add a whole lot to the conversation. I already had a decent understanding of everything that was said. Though a little dry in some spots, my skin looks quite good overall, he told me. For the dryness, he wrote a prescription for Lac-Hydrin cream, which moisturizes the skin.

I should schedule an appointment to see him again in a year.

new cancer resource

Check out CancerDirectory, a smorgasbord of helpful information, such as the newest survivor blogs and cancer-related websites.

interesting articles

Below are three interesting articles in CURE magazine's winter issue:

All Stressed Out

Cancer's Silver Lining

Beyond Face Value

hodge blogs

There is Optimism in Cancer

David Smith

day +858

I hope everyone had a joyful and memorable Christmas. We did. Just my parents, sister, and me. Low-key but good.

The snow that was left behind after the massive Nor'easter is mostly gone. Today's steady rain has helped in this process. However, as promised, I went out early three consecutive mornings immediately following the storm in search of capturing the snowy landscape of the city. Since it had been some time since I last photographed in Spuyten Duyvil, I went there mindful of the unique vistas this area offers for snow photography. South of Riverdale, north of Inwood (Manhattan), and east of the Palisades of New Jersey, Spuyten Duyvil sits at the crossroads of the Harlem and Hudson Rivers. This part of the Bronx is particularly hilly and navigating its winding, narrow streets can be quite confusing. This neighborhood is steeped in history (most notably Dutch) too.

At the base of Spuyten Duyvil beside the waterfront is a Metro-North station that serves commuter service along the Hudson River. While people were gathering on the platform for their morning commute to Manhattan, I was snapping away trying to not get in anyone's way. I'm usually a bit self-conscious at moments like this. At the back of my head, there is always the thought that someone might think I'm doing reconnaissance for a terrorist attack and call the police. But I try not to let these thoughts bother me. I took shots of the Henry Hudson Bridge that towers above the station spanning the Harlem River as well as the seemingly frail but beautiful Spuyten Duyvil Swing Bridge nearby.

This is of the Church of the Good Shepherd, which is in Inwood just across from Spuyten Duyvil.


And I took the photograph below on the very first day after the storm. It's one of the many impressive statues that adorn the perimeter of the Bronx County Courthouse, one of the great architectural gems of the Bronx.


While I'm on the topic of my work, you might be interested to know that several of my photographs are included in Lehman College Art Gallery's recently launched website, Bronx Architecture.

Check out my photos:

Harlem River Bridges

East River Bridges

On Tuesday, I saw my nurse practitioner in clinic at Sloan for the first time. Having "graduated" to the survivorship program, I'll be seeing Dr. C-M less often. The appointment went very well. My counts were normal. I didn't have any physical issues to raise except for the continued neuropathy and stiffness in my feet. Although my podiatrist described my pain as a mechanical issue meaning that it was a consequence of how I was walking, I still have great doubts about this diagnosis. I feel as if I've been walking the same way as I always have. As I expressed to my nurse practitioner at the appointment, I really feel it is GVHD-related. My feet were absolutely fine for months following transplantation until the GVHD arose. It is at this time that my skin began to change color and my feet first began to give me problems. Before GVHD, all was dandy. So, if I'm right, the hope is that in time as the GVHD lessens the discomfort should ease.

My medication list wasn't changed. I continue to take 7 medications daily. Prevacid had been number 8, but was discontinued at my previous appointment.

I haven't had a pulmonary function test (PFT) since the time when I took all those exams in preparation for my transplant and have never had a bone density test. So, she made appointments for me to have these two exams on Tuesday. These tests weren't scheduled out of any particular concern. They're simply, as she said, part of the monitoring that begins in the post-treatment/survivorship phase. While at Sloan next week, I'll also have my blood taken again. My creatinine level was higher than normal, so labs will be taken to test this once again.

I've been good about making regular appointments with my cardiologist, ophthalmologist, dentist, and general practitioner, but hadn't really thought about my dermatologist. She gave me kudos for being vigilant, but said it's important to also see a dermatologist at least once a year. So, I went ahead and scheduled an appointment with my dermatologist for Monday. Especially since I have GVHD, an appointment with my dermatologist might be very helpful.

Wishing everyone health, hope, happiness, and love in the coming new year!

pretty funny

For those who are nostalgic for the pre-Facebook days, this is pretty funny.

christmas break is here

Thursday was the last day before the break. It was a half-day.

My first three months teaching have gone quite well despite some bumps along the way. All in all, I've learned a lot and find the school's atmosphere to be a very positive one. So, although my assignment as a parental leave replacement was temporary, I'm pleased to report that I've been asked to stay on.

During the break, I look forward to doing a couple of different things. For starters, my room is in a bit of a mess. So, I am in the process of cleaning and organizing it now. Also, I'm getting myself back on an exercise schedule, which is something I did quite faithfully until about a month ago.

There are also a couple of museum exhibitions that I want to see the first of which I visited Friday afternoon. The Museum of the City of New York's Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York City Parks is right down my alley. It's a photographic journey of NYC's natural landscape focusing on its parks and the waterfront. Covering all five boroughs through all seasons, it's a captivating tour of the city's famous and little-known verdant and marine refuges. From the MCNY, I headed south to the Guggenheim to check out the temporary exhibition on Kadinsky only to find out that the museum was closing in about 30 minutes. More importantly, admission is a whopping $18.00! After learning this, I left rather promptly figuring that I'd return on one of their suggested admission nights. In place of the Guggenheim, I walked a few blocks south to the Met, where I spent most of my time exploring its Korean, Chinese, Indian, and Tibetan collections before taking a quick sweep of a portion of its medieval and Renaissance art.





There are a few other shows I plan to check out before the end of the break, such as Tim Burton and Bauhaus 1919-1933: Workshops for Modernity at the MOMA.

With regards to films, Avatar and Crazy Heart are on my list.

There hasn't been much time for pleasure reading recently, so I hope to do a bit of that too.

With the massive snow blizzard beginning to leave what is expected to be a significant downfall across NYC tonight, I plan to head out tomorrow morning for a bit of winter photography. Having been inspired by Joel Meyerowitz's work at the MCNY, it should be fun.

On Monday, I see my primary doctor and then, on Tuesday, I see my nurse practitioner at Sloan for a checkup.

Finally, on a totally unrelated note, recently I've been wondering how some people manage to tie their scarfs so wonderfully. These fashionable New Yorkers know how to coil their scarfs transforming them into lovely accessories to their winter wardrobe. So, what better way to find the answer than to google: how to tie a scarf. Not surprisingly, Google has an answer. A number of links were listed. One of my favorites is this one from GQ:



What can't you find online?

winter issue of bridges

The winter issue Bridges is available now. Check out my review of The Etiquette of Illness: What to Say When You Can't Find the Words by Susan P. Halpern.

every little bit

Fight2Win, an organization established to find a cure for Hodgkin's Lymphoma after the passing of Alese Coco, launched its first TV commercial. This is the first-ever public announcement on TV for Hodgkin's research.

Check it out here.

Please spread the word!

long-term survivorship

Cure has informative articles detailing the potential late and long-term effects of cancer treatment and in particular, stem cell transplantation.

The Late and Long-Term Effects of Stem Cell Transplantation

The Long-Term Survivor

Reading these two articles, I felt that eerie, piercing heaviness that comes with facing one's frailty and mortality; it is something that we survivors are all too familiar with.

I'm reminded of all the worse case scenarios that I was cautioned about before I signed up for the transplant. I'm not worried about them. I don't dwell on them. But they're there. That's life. That's a part of what I signed up for: the chance at a cancer-free and a relatively normal life though with its share of potential, perhaps life-threatening risks.

Like I said, I can't dwell on what might happen, because I have absolutely no idea about what will actually happen. I can, however, devote energy to those things that I do have control over and rejoice in the life (though forever challenged and changed) that I do enjoy so much.

jasmina meets the president

Jasmina, the six-year old leukemia and stem cell transplant survivor, met President Obama on Wednesday at the White House. Sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, she spent 10 minutes with the president.

Leukemia-Stricken Jasmina Anema Spends 10 Minutes With President Obama

Jasmina Anema Meets Obama: Girl With Leukemia Finally Sees President

As you may know, after months of searching desperately for a donor, she found one but relapsed months after her stem cell transplant to the heartbreak of so many.

I suspect her weight gain is due to the steroids used to manage her GvHD.