7. Exercise: Range of Motion, No Weights
April 27, 2022 Doreen watches me exercise with the guidance of Youtube channel Lazy Dancer Tips. While I am unable to do any exercises with weights post-operatively, I have to work on the range of motion of my upper limbs… therefore a ballet-inspired arms workout (with bonus core strengthening) would be the way to go. […]
6. Drain-free, hooray!
April 19, 2022 Update, post-op day 19. Doreen packed an entire day of patience. First – picked up pathology specimens. Next – visited the surgeon to get the drain out, hooray! (Edited to add: first drain was removed last week, this is the second – and last – drain… so now I am drain-free) Waited […]
5. A Pink-Themed Wednesday
April 6, 2022 A pink-themed Wednesday. Doreen posing with some of my get well gifts. Giant bougainvillea somewhere in New Manila, spotted on the way to the convent of the Pink Sisters (a contemplative order of Roman Catholic religious women who are formally known as the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters). Mom and I stopped by […]
4. Post-Operative Day 1
April 1, 2022 Post-op day one is nearing its end. Thankful for controlled pain, and that nausea and lightheadedness are gone. Also thankful for a portable wireless keyboard that made it easier to update everyone – typing on the phone screen’s keyboard would have been terrible for my thumbs. Doreen is doing a good job […]
3. Meet Doreen
March 30, 2022 Meet Doreen. She is the wife of Dave the Travel Pig. Doreen was gifted to me in 2010 by my coworker and good friend Lori. Fast forward to 2022 and Doreen is now my personal breast cancer mascot. We are headed to the hospital tonight for surgery tomorrow – mine, not hers! […]
2. The Breast Cancer Experience: Frequently Asked Questions
How was it discovered? Screening mammogram and ultrasound. Did you feel a lump? No. Did you do self-breast exams regularly? Yes. Which side? Left breast. Right breast was normal, no cancer there. What stage was it? Based on imaging – 1A. Based on final pathology – 2A. The mass was actually bigger than what was […]
1. Plot Twist!
Blog readers may have noticed I haven’t been posting regularly in 2022. There’s a very good reason for that. I’ve been writing stuff – but they’re not here on the blog, because of the personal and sensitive nature of the topic. One year later I’m ready to put it out there, so here goes. In […]
Of X-rays and Female Orthopods
Nerdy medical anthropology commentary alert: gender, politics, economics, culture and health. I think this would be a good instructional article for an introductory course. Bookmarking here. Orthopedic surgeons use lead aprons during surgery, when X-rays (radiation from fluoroscopy machines) are needed. The lead aprons are “one size fits all”, which really means “large” and “one […]
Curtains Up: Introduction to Performing Arts Medicine
This is a belated post about the recent webinar from the Performing Arts Medicine Association Young Professionals Committee, in which Dr. Mark Seton and I presented the basics of Performing Arts Medicine. From the PAMA. I was going to blog about it sooner, but life got in the way! From the PAMA website:Let’s start at […]
Mexican Staples with Filipino Heritage
Today I read an article by medical anthropologist Dr. Gideon Lasco, writing for Sapiens, an online magazine of sorts for all things anthropology. He explains how tequila and mezcal, long associated with Mexico, owe their existence to Filipino distilling techniques. In the same vein, the Filipino fermented coconut drink tubá also made its way to […]
