Friday, September 5, 2008

"Get on down to the main attraction. With a little less talk and a lot more action." Toby Keith


I am asking for your help today.

I am thinking about attending a writers' workshop and/or classes. Been reading about writing. I am worried about talking about it too much and spending all my energy blabbing into the air, instead of into the keyboard. To the other writers (and readers) out there, I am interested in your take.

Just a quick update. Trying to keep my eye on the ball. Cure, not engraftment. I may not have the all the results of my bone marrow biopsy for my Monday appointment. Waiting again. As Wendy Harpham, MD (author of the must read: Happiness in a Storm) reminds me: the truth will set you free. I do believe that. That means my mantra of constant vigilance and hope.

Just the slightest soreness from my biopsy.  The procedure itself catches my breath when they do the actual aspiration. Stops me in mid sentence. The aspiration is worse then the grinding biopsy. It lasts only a few seconds. In fact, the whole procedure is just a few minutes and the total OUCH time is way less than a minute.

Still looking for an inexpensive car or truck for my son Ben, soon. Email me  ( BkoffmanMD@gmail.com ) or better him ( vincentmeloy@aol.com ) if you can help.

3 Comments:

Blogger Wendy S. Harpham, MD said...

Dear Brian,
One thing that helped me when I was in the early years of my survivorship: I shifted my focus away from the other "big c" (cure) and focused on healing.

Why? I realized three key things: First, "cure" from my lymphoma wouldn't make my life free of uncertainty regarding my health (I could still get picked off by a drunk driver on Central Expressway and I could still develop another cancer). Second, I didn't need to be cured to live my life fully today. Third, I was hoping for something that was ultimately out of my control.

After that day, I stopped focusing on cure. Hey, I even stopped thinking about cure. Instead, I've been keeping my eye on my goals of doing all I can to stay as healthy as possible (a do-able goal under my complete control) and to live as fully as possible each day.

Just something to think about.
With hope, Wendy

September 6, 2008 at 7:22 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Some people have all the luck. A perfect donor, unremarkable GVHD and then a BMB that last 5 minutes. It’s nice to be you, at least from the eyes of another CLL’er.

Go and have fun at the writing workshop even though you need no aid.

September 7, 2008 at 11:01 AM  
Blogger Susan C said...

Hello Brian,
I'm a writer and a Dr. Forman patient with Mantle Cell Lymphoma in remission.

Here are two great resources for Southern California writers:

- IWOSC (www.iwosc.org))Independent Writers of Southern California: Has monthly meetings and seminars in Culver City and "satellite" meetings in outlying areas, including Irvine. Check out the website for more details.

- Media Bistro (www.mediabistro.com): Offrs excellent classes in West LA. I see there's one coming up on writing a book.

Good luck and don't hesitate to write me if you have any questions about book proposals, agents, etc.

susancarrier AT sbcblobal.net

September 9, 2008 at 9:01 PM  

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