By Dom Cioffi Prior to the beginning of August 2016, I knew exactly who I was. I had 50 years on this earth to try things out to see where I fit in. I had settled into life, my job, […]
Tag: Movie Diary
Getting the good word
By Dom Cioffi Just about seven months ago, an ear, nose and throat specialist slid a tiny camera down my esophagus to investigate a persistent sore throat. Within less than a minute he pulled it out and began the one […]
Lost in La La Land
By Dom Cioffi Back in the late 1950s, Dr. Paul Janssen and his team of scientists at Janssen Pharmaceuticals first started synthesizing a new drug for pain management. The extremely potent, synthetic opioid they developed was known for its rapid […]
Digging in deep
By Dom Cioffi My health itinerary said I was meeting with a counselor of some sort. At this point in the process I do not question the appointments that the Mayo Clinic sets up for me. They have been a […]
Getting your bell rung
By Dom Cioffi In the waiting room outside the lab where I receive my daily radiation treatments for cancer, hangs a nondescript gold bell about the size of a large grapefruit. It is mounted on the wall via a small […]
It’s go-time
By Dom Cioffi After nearly two months of appointments, tests, consultations, research, traveling, planning and discussions, I am now sitting at the forefront of my cancer treatment. I have relocated to Florida, lined up a remarkable staff of health care […]
Hurdling through life
By Dom Cioffi I suppose the navigation of a cancer diagnosis involves countless hurdles. In that regard, I believe I have successfully traversed a couple early ones. The first hurdle for anyone diagnosed with cancer involves the revelation. There’s no […]
Acting out
By Dom Cioffi In the ensuing weeks since my unexpected cancer diagnosis, I have been adrift in interesting emotions. The first emotion I experienced was shock, which, in hindsight, is a natural and expected response. I don’t think anyone who […]
Music to my ears
By Dom Cioffi One of the first jobs I had as a teenager was at a local record store (of course, this was back when record stores actually specialized in selling records). It was a huge thrill to be around […]
The beasts within
By Dom Cioffi Since the dawn of psychology, mankind has wondered, Is it nature or nurture that makes us who we are? Is it our genes or the environment in which we are reared that determines the kind of person […]