Things to read and watch

I figured I’d share a few of the things that we have been reading and watching the last couple of weeks.

If you really want to be a mantle cell lymphoma nerd (seriously, this one is dense and you’ll want some caffeine), this is an annual update on MCL from the Lymphoma Research Foundation. It’s really informative for what the actual treatment landscape is like right now and gives you a sense of the terms we are rapidly becoming experts on. 🤪

My parents’ friends recommended a book called Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds, which studies common themes across people that achieved cancer remission despite the severity of their cancer or the prognosis from their doctors. I’m skeptical enough (in the scientific sense) to know I’m not going to beat cancer just by following this book, but it has some important themes about nutrition, community, holistic health, and taking control of your treatment, etc — all of which are valuable. I do believe, and there is science to show, that mindset is an important part of recovery.

(One story in the book describes a Japanese patient who, rather than treat his cancer as a vile intruder to be killed, treated it as a part of himself — sending it, counterintuitively, feelings of tenderness, love, and healing. This sounds crazy but it appeals to me because this cancer is a part of me. It’s my own cells that have lost their way after all, and it feels terrible to wish extermination on any part of myself. I’m not sure where I’ve landed on this yet but it’s sure making me reframe my thinking a bit.)

We’re also lucky to have some active support groups at our fingertips. I’ve been off Facebook for years, but rejoined recently only to join/participate in some community groups (don’t be offended if I don’t accept your friend request—I’m not using it for those). The most active support group is the Mantle Cell Lymphoma Support group. Being able to read others’ experiences has been really helpful to humanize what is a very clinical process.