My Life with Cancer

Excellent story Jonathan. I watched you on MSNBC throughout the presidential election cycle and had no idea about your cancer history. I was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer six years ago and as a journalist, I responded with the same research and analytical approach once I was in remission. Before that, I was too sick to be Lois Lane. Thanks for sharing your journey. By the way, I had the same type of cancer Lance Armstrong had -- choriocarcinoma -- only mine originated from my ovaries, not testicles (of course).

just over a week a go, my brother was diagnosed with MCL. Hopefullly he will begin his treatments soon. We feel overwhelmed with the technical and cryptic medicalese which well-meaning physicians use and I immediately googled anything I could find on MCL...a very depressing endeavour. Until I found your article and felt hope and a clearer understanding of this disease. Thank you. God bless you and your family and my brother.

A word of caution about your children's reactions. Don't let their silence fool you. Adolescence is absolutely the worst time to face a parent's mortality. I lost my father to cancer when I was twelve, and believe me, it had a lifelong effect. Of course I didn't talk about it to anyone - my mother and sisters were so overwhelmed that I couldn't add my pain to their burdens. So I soldiered on, helping my mother care for my father, and not making a fuss despite my own turmoil and pain.
Of course your children aren't going to talk to you - they don't want to increase your burden. But make sure they have someone else to talk to, where they can let out what they feel without feeling guilty about it. Otherwise that "adolescent indifference" may turn out to have been something entirely different.

Your story sounds very similar to my own. I felt that I could really connect with so many things you experienced. My diagnosis of MCL was confirmed several weeks ago. I begin R-CHOP next week at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Since it seems you live in the NYC area, perhaps we can connect in person at some point?

My brother just diagnosed 4/11/08. I hit the internet and found the MCLConsortium. Thank God. The information and diagnosis took me to a point where I can't breathe. He is 54, healthy and funny and in a quiet funk. Some friends know, the others will be brought in after the UCLA second opinon. I am searching constantly for the special Dr. that "connects". Your story helps with the reality, unfortunately not the gripping pain. HOWEVER...this is just today. Tomorrow I'm back on it. God bless over you and your family.

thank you for sharing your inspirational story. my significant other was dx sith mcl 6 mos ago went through chemo, into remission for one month and it is back next step is stem cell tx.