Cancer Journey of a Secular Buddhist

About 2 weeks ago, on Thursday 12/18/2025,  I started feeling very cold around 5pm, and then started shivering uncontrollably for about an hour. I had a slight fever, and when the shivering phase was over I was very weak in my legs and arms which limited my mobility. My wife Yas called my oncologist and they said we should go to the Emergency Department. I was able to get down the stairs and into the car and Yas drove me to the Beth Israel Emergency Department.  We went through triage quickly and they asked us to wait in the waiting room as there were no free beds available. So we did. There was a young women next to us who was softly crying the whole time. We didn't get into a room with a bed until 5am. Yas drove home and fed and walked our dog, Fezco, who had been in the crate for over 10 hours and was happy to see her. The doctor who examined me ordered 2 CT scans - of my chest and of my abdomen. Both scans showed a significant decrease in the cancer in my body. Some lesion...

Today (Monday 12/15/25) I had a brain MRI and met with Drs Ho and Hertan who are my neuro-oncology team.  The MRI showed that all of the 20 tumors they found in October had either disappeared or shrunk (and probably are just scar tissue now).  Moreover, and more importantly, there were no new tumors, so the Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has been effective. They decided to stop my Bevacizumab (Avastin) infusions as there is no inflammation in my brain!  I'll have another MRI in 2 months and if necessary I could restart the Bevacizumab, but it probably won't be needed.  This is a turning point in my journey as the brain inflammation was what caused all of my mobility challenges (and other neurological adverse effects). We now have evidence that the immunotherapy is effective on all of the tumors in my body and seems to be stopping any new tumors from appearing. I'm also thankful that I didn't spend any time worrying about things that could have gone wrong. Even if they had ...

  Last week I had my 3rd infusion of Pembrolizumab/Keytruda and my second of Bevacizumab/Avastin with only minor adverse effects. I had two rashes last week that both cleared up with some allegra and various steroid creams. This week I'm getting peeling skin (like after a sunburn) on omy finger tips and my upper arms. Annoying, but not painful or dangerous.  I've also made an effort to enjoy my life now that my mobility is coming back, so last saturday (12/6) Yas and I invitied some of our colleagues and other friends to a potluck singalong at our house from 1-4pm and had a very nice time. Last night (6/13) I went to see Yas perform at Hanima, a Japanese sushi bar and restaurant, and several of our friends showed up; Again it was a very nice time. Tomorrow, Monday 12/15, I have a brain MRI and visit the brain tumor clinic. I'm hoping that the 20 tumors they found in my last brain MRI have all shrunk and that no new ones have appeared!  If so, then I'm on a good path tow...

I decided to apply for the Voluntary Retirement Program which provides a year of full salary and medical with no teaching or service requirements, if you apply by 12/3/2025. My last day as a tenured Brandeis Professor will be in December 2026! I started teaching at Brandeis in 1984 and in the past 41 years I've taught about 5000 students. Teaching has always been very rewarding for me and I've learned much from my students, and many of my former students have become life long friends. I will miss teaching (though I may try to teach summer school courses). With my cancer journey, I can't guarantee that I can teach for 15 weeks straight without having to go back to the hospital for weeks at a time. I have taught about 90 regular Brandeis courses, 30 Transitional Year Program courses, 10 Justice Brandeis Semester summer programs, 10 pre-college App Design programs, and about 50 independent study courses (both individual and group). It has been my honor and privilege to teach ...