page contents Google

CHEMO COMEDY SHOW: WAS IT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY

In the final analysis, no, there’s no such thing as chemo comedy, just moments that surpassed some of the funniest things I’ve seen or heard. It started with the first appointment with the chemo doc. We’d met before.

HPV16 CANCER, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Getting to know hpv16 cancer up close and personal the way Brent King and I have exposes the best intentions from some of the best people. They offer wisdom and sympathy; they’re sorry; they do their best to show they care. Sometimes the caring part is unfamiliar territory, so it gets awkward. I heard it […]

Neck Cancer … What Is It Good For … Absolutely Nothing

A reader left a comment recently that moved me to respond in a universal way.   Hey Patrick,   Thanks for coming over to boomerpdx. A quick question: How did you find me and this topic. I write about it a lot, but not too many show up in comments like you. I’m glad you’ll […]

WRITER EVIDENCE IN THE HOUSE OF BOOMERPDX

    A hard rule among writers: avoid talking about a writing project. So what do writers talk about in writer meetings?   Last night while attending a Willamette Writers meeting I saw writer evidence all over the place across a crowded room. I scanned the crowd from a plush chair inside Tabor Space on […]

BREAST CANCER: A MOTHER JONES FACEBOOK POST ASKS IF ALCOHOL IS A CAUSE. WHAT ARE OTHER CANCER CAUSES?

    From motherjones.com:   Susan Sontag once wrote that telling people about your cancer diagnosis tends to fill them with mortal dread. But when I’ve disclosed my illness to friends and told them that alcohol can cause breast cancer, I’ve never invoked enough mortal dread to deter anyone from ordering a second drink. Most women […]

WRITER TRAINING: PACK HEAVY FOR #writertraining

  Writer training is more than a classroom, more than paper and pencil, fingers and keyboard, more than listening.   It is sweating and struggling and wishing you’d made a different choice. Not about being a writer, but about those damn books.   The importance of jamming writing books into a heavy duty backpack, heavy […]

HPV16 VACCINE IN CONSUMER REPORTS

The HPV16 vaccine article in Consumer Reports pushes hot buttons across the board. It’s easy to understand why.   I’m a father of two, but it’s more than that. Too many parents are overwhelmed with the joy of their own reproductive skills and the bundle of joy as a result. I know I was.   […]

WHAT SEVERE ILLNESS MEANS TO OTHERS

  Under the category of ‘Who Knew’, severe illness opens the door to compassion. And it’s not all about you.   Talk between cancer survivors is one thing; talk between a cancer survivor and someone untouched launches other topics. Some survivors are good listeners, others see the open door and rush right through.   That […]

UNCLE CLIFFY, MEDICAL MARIJUANA, PISTIL POINT CANNABIS

Why does it take a dramatic event like a health scare to break out the medical benefits of marijuana? Former Portland Trail Blazer Cliff Robinson, Uncle Cliffy in the industry, had a stroke. Is medical marijuana a cure? Here’s Robinson’s take from oregonlive:

CANCER TREATMENT NEEDS THE ROCKY TALK FROM DR. BALBOA

When you need a pep talk who do you listen too? I go to Rocky Balboa for the good stuff. When he started out with, “Let me tell you something you already know,” he had me hooked. It’s like the doctor telling me I’ve got HPV16 tongue cancer. He had my attention. He told me […]