When thinking about “one thing” regarding cancer, I keep returning to the notion that as a cancer survivor I should help guide people who want to relate to those with the illness. My one thing would be to remember that one size does not fit all. The best a person can do is to remain receptive to the sick person, refrain from dropping bromides…[more]

Several times during my illness people recited to me adages encapsulating the idea that illness is a blessing. “Everything happens for a reason,” some well-meaning soul might say to me, looking smug and self-satisfied that an enlightened truth had been passed on. These words infuriated me, but it wasn’t until recently tha…[more]

Late in 2004 I noticed that I was having trouble swallowing and my wife complained that I had begun to snore like a chainsaw. I visited my GP, Dr. Stephen Baugh, who thought the problem might be related to clogged sinuses. He prescribed saline nose spray, Musinex, and Neti pot use, saying that if nothing helped then I should see a throat specialist. By Ja…[more]