Category Archives: Family

comfort in the fight

Posted on September 12, 2010 by Emily

There’s danger in complacency/And comfort in the fight. – Jonatha Brooke Every so often, no matter how “great” you are feeling, there are moments in a survivor’s life when the sheer shit storm of cancer and its after-effects come along … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, fellow fighters, Life After Cancer | Tagged 9/11, comfort, compassion, devotion, fight, First Descents, friends, Hottie Bucks, Jonatha Brooke, old wounds, over-looked truths, posse, priceless, sister, Sourland Mountain Preserve, vigil | Leave a comment

the readiness is all

Posted on August 8, 2010 by Emily

Desperate to resume “living” as quickly as possible after finishing chemotherapy in June of 2008, I returned to work – part-time, and in a limited capacity, but returned nonetheless – just three short weeks after my last treatment. In hindsight, … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, Family, Infertility, Life After Cancer | Tagged adoption, anxiety, cycling, determined, medical history, neuropathy, obstacles, readiness, rehabilitation, rock-climbing, running, sweat, tears, undetered, vertigo, Work | 5 Comments

small steps, big love

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Emily

Last week, my wonderful friend and gardening guru, Judy, came over to our new house. It was a saturated, sunless late afternoon, so we were limited to drinking tea, standing in the sun room and surveying the back yard. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, First Descents, Life After Cancer | Tagged 5K, Bald Fox, excitement, First Descents, gardening, Hottie Bucks, love, Mike, rain | Leave a comment

increasing the happy

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Emily

There are moments – increasing in frequency and intensity – when I am amazed at the depth of my happiness. The happiness I know now is richer, more substantial, than anything I knew before cancer. This weekend, not unexpectedly, was … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, Family, First Descents, Life After Cancer | Tagged adoption, Ceasar, CML, cookies, duck-duck-goose, Eve, happy, love, Moab, New York, Oscar, Phoenix, saggy diaper, Utah | 1 Comment

the RIGHT NOW! box

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Emily

Last month, I visited the genetic counseling folks at Penn’s GI Practice. I sat with a GI doctor, a genetics counselor, a genetics intern, and some other unidentified young physician. Before I met with the lead doctor, the intern was … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Life After Cancer | Tagged ALL, Baseball, Cancerland, fear, floods, gardening, genetic testing, Hamlet, HNPCC, Jazzfest, lymphoma, New Orleans, peril, phlebotomist, RIGHT NOW! box, running, strike three, Utah | 2 Comments

meet mike (he rocks)

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Emily

Some of you good folks who take the time to read my ramblings here know my husband, Mike. Some of you don’t. Regardless, it’s time to take a minute and tell the world why my husband is so amazing, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Life After Cancer | Tagged fight, Germini, husband, Joni Mitchell, law school, love, Mike, partner, rebuilding, strength, support | 6 Comments

(cancer) flash forward; (cancer) flash back

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Emily

On days when I am due for a check-up with my oncologist or some other cancer-related appointment, I have been known to do things like forget to pack my yoga pants for my acupuncture appointment after work. Yesterday, after getting … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Life After Cancer, Philadelphia, running | Tagged chemo suite, early detection, family medical history, genetic testing, HIPAA, HNPCC, Perelman Center, port flush, preventive medicine, prophylactic surgery, sports bra, treadmill, West Philly | 1 Comment

shine on

Posted on February 7, 2010 by Emily

When my husband and I moved into the house we have been renting for the last three and a half years, our heads promptly filled with visions of the happy life we would live here, even the family we would … Continue reading →

Posted in cancer, Family, music, running | Tagged anxiety, back deck, Ben Franklin Bridge, blizzard, cancer, comfort, Cooper River Park, freakout, gardening, guardian angel, Iva, music, New Jersey, Pink Floyd, Planet Cancer, Queens, real estate, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, snow, yoga | Leave a comment

running doesn’t cure cancer (but i’m going to run anyway)

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Emily

When cancer struck, I went from being fit and active (not obsessively so, but I biked with enthusiasm and hit the gym three or four times a week) to being completely inert. Not just inert, but sliced, diced, poured out … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Life After Cancer, running | Tagged 10K, 5K, 70 percent rule, cancer, chemo, climbing stairs, Delaware Avenue, fitness, half-marathon, limits, neuropathy, panic attack, running, sneakers, treadmill, vertigo, walking the dog | 1 Comment

simplicity: holidays 2009

Posted on January 3, 2010 by Emily

The holiday season is finally over. That seemingly endless stretch starting with Thanksgiving and ending with New Year’s has come and gone, and here I sit, wearing my favorite fleece pants and my re-imagined fuzzy purple cancer socks, listening to … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Life After Cancer | Tagged Central Park, Christmas, cooking, dogs, Double-Oh-Seven, First Descents, fleece pants, fuzzy purple cancer socks, Jose Cuervo Tradicional, kitchen dance party, lasagna, Legos, Magna-tiles, New Year's Eve, New York, Oscar, St. Lucia, The Clash, WineDiva | 2 Comments