Am I the only person who sometimes feels stressed by text messages that are not time sensitive? At the risk of presenting myself as a carmudgeon, I’m sharing my struggle to highlight a challenge of self-care.

I feel honored that Katie Couric’s video montage of advice for the newly diagnosed concludes with my message about hope.

Two women remembered their experiences from months in a coma. Once recovered, they had something to say.

A striking young woman singing “It’s Okay” on America’s Got Talent in 2021 offered a timeless lesson on Healthy Survivorship.

When I was ill, sometimes friends tried calming my fears about my uncertain future by saying, Life is uncertain for all of us. I could get hit by a Mack truck. Offered from a place of caring, that comment may have helped other patients but only made me feel more alone.

Knowledge is power. Unfortunately, the power of knowing something may be to make life more difficult. For example, keeping up with the news may erode the emotional resilience needed to deal with medical challenges.

This blog is designed to share a physician-survivor’s perspective on getting good care and living as fully as possible while dealing with a health challenge. When I share personal stories of my successess and failures, it’s not for you to learn about me. My aim is to encourage you to think about your own challenges in ways that help you find the best path for you to make your life the best it can be.

Today, I’m making an exception by posting a personal update.

At times, my emotions get stirred up over something trivial. When I’m overreacting, I tell myself, Wait! This is not a big deal. Often that’s enough for the wave of emotion to break and for me to regain my emotional footing. When such emotions don’t abate, instead of fighting them or trying to suppress them, I find a safe place for a time-limited blech session. As the title emphasizes: Ten minutes, at most.

Healthy Survivors are adept at distinguishing journalism and churnalism.