The Liz Army:
A blog
Patient. Patient advocate. Researcher. Student.
There are more than 500 posts here. Use this search to look for something specific. Good luck!
A note about my oldest posts: I began blogging about brain cancer in 2008, at age 29. I had no background or knowledge about healthcare when I started. Please excuse typos and other misconceptions. What you read here is me in real time, like a time capsule.
Major life update: From patient to patient-researcher
I am still that punk rock drummer turned brain cancer patient—but now I work for an academic medical center on research and research dissemination.
Breaking down the barriers to clinical trials
We have a problem with clinical trials for people with brain tumors: Not enough people are enrolling in clinical trials, and many trial sites fail to meet enrollment needs required to conduct trials.
Spoiler alert, I'm still alive: 10 years later
I have had a brain tumor for one quarter of my life. I am the same person I was before but I am completely changed.
Precision medicine and brain cancer
The big question is, which trial is the right one? Will I be that unicorn patient who might live a life that is statistically longer than the current patient population? And with the cognitive decline that comes with brain cancer, would this be a kind of life I’d want to live?
Is there such thing as too much information when it comes to our medical history?
Is it possible I provided too much information for my medical team? Yes, but I believe it better to share everything and leave it to the professionals to weed out extraneous details.
Sorry, I forgot to tell you my dad died 14 months ago
I did not blog about my dad when he died. I wrote a song.
How I chose my new neuro-oncologist
The doctor’s job is to make sure I receive good care, not be my best friend.
Why your health insurance requires prior authorization for some medications
If a person like me can have trouble navigating the complicated nuances of health insurance, prior authorizations and payment, then how can we expect people who don't come from "a place of privilege" to manage their health care?