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Linda astride the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
I wish I had named this blog something like "Fight Back", because I intend the bulk of what I write to be about defeating ovarian cancer. In fact, if "Blogspot" will let me, I'll change its name.
As most of you already know, my beautiful wife Linda died last year of ovarian cancer. She lived 3 years post-diagnosis, and enjoyed life. We had lots of fun, visited interesting, strange place\s (Egypt, Mexico, Michigan) and we fought her cancer cheerfully and optimistically. Never once did I hear her complain. Her last few months, however, were terrible. I don't want to dwell on that period because it is too painful, and would make you feel bad. I am sure that her sister Carolyn, who shared the care-giving with me, would agree. Suffice it to say that my experiences then were such as to make me determined to do something - whatever little I can - to defeat ovarian cancer. See below.
For those of you who haven't done so already, please go to Linda's blog on the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's website: http://getinvolved.fhcrc.org/goto/lindajoycebeck. There you can read my pitifully inadequate attempt to memorialize her life, and seize the opportunity to donate to ovarian cancer research. Even a few bucks will show you care.
Many of you know that I am volunteering several days/week at Fred Hutch, with a group working on a "protocol" to efficiently detect ovarian cancer before it has a chance to spread. I do routine office work, proof research papers and proposals, and attend seminars (where the state of my ignorance demands that I keep my mouth firmly shut.) Also, I am a "Research Advocate" - only, unfortunately, I have yet to figure out what that entails. I have been helping round up women for our latest clinical trial - if you are female, over 35, and can get to Seattle once or twice/year give me a call and I'll show you how to enroll. Probably this blog is part of my Advocacy. Also, I am filling much of my spare time studying biochemistry and biostatistics. I am making good progress, but as you can imagine, if I am to have the Nobel Prize in medicine by the time I'm 80 I've got to hustle!
Okay, this will give you an idea of what I'm about. If you want to read my occasional blatherings, bookmark this URL.I may "post" on non-cancerous subjects from time to time - not politics, religion or sex, but anything else I think might be somewhat funny. I will warn you by putting NOT OC in the title, so you can turn you attention elsewhere.
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