It wasn’t my first encounter with the US healthcare system since moving to Canada but it was instructive. It’s time for my various thyroid-related blood tests. I have my orders from my doctor in Montreal. I need to pay out of pocket, at least at first (I can petition Quebec to cover the costs but …
Category Archives: Cancer
Life on Sabbatical
I haven’t said much of substance in this space apart from my SSHRC post, which is a whole other story. So let me set the scene. This is my first sabbatical, and I’m still figuring things out. I had wanted a fairly routinized life, and so far that’s what I’ve gotten. We spend all day …
Good News, Fishing for Bad
Brazil was amazing, as expected. Rio is a very interesting and intense city, my hosts were wonderful, the experience was totally unforgettable and I hope to go back. My visa is good for 10 years. Yesterday I went to the radiation oncologist for followup. He pronounced me fine and said not to come back; and …
The New Normal, or Is That a Summer Hiatus Coming On?
For those readers not accustomed to the ways of academic blogs (which is mostly academic only by virtue of its association with its author), there is a tradition called the “summer hiatus.” People spend less time on the internet reading blogs and writers take time away. I tend not to announce such things but since …
Continue reading “The New Normal, or Is That a Summer Hiatus Coming On?”
Asthma, Text, America
My medical appointments are slowing down, which is a good thing, but Monday I went in for an asthma test to see if I still had it, or whether the breathing issues were a side effect of the cancer. Turns out it’s a little of both. My test scores without medication were similar, but I …
Free, Again
A quick update on the cancer front. Yesterday the neck bandage came off. The antimicrobial fabric is indeed a medical miracle and apart from the public spectacle part of it, I would recommend it highly. The open wound area was almost totally gone and the remaining area has responded very well to flamezine. That’s a …
Neck Bandage: Day 2
Is the magic fabric working? Maybe! In the meantime, I feel like an animal just home from the vet with one of those Elizabethan collars so it can’t lick itself: They’re hilarious on pets, but it turns out I’m not as fond of them on humans. Also, the thing hates the heat. I got this …