On April 2, 2013 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. According to the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association and the American Cancer Society, approximately 60,220 people in the United States were diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2013. I never expected to be part of that statistic at age 26. One month earlier, during my annual visit to my gynecologist, the doctor performed a complete physical as part of the routine visit. During a neck exam, he felt a lump on my thyroid. That discovery caught me ...
Beach Day Blues
On an unusually warm day this past December, I took a drive to one of my favorite Long Island beaches. West Neck Beach in Huntington, New York is a small, private beach that becomes crowded in the summer but during the winter months is only appreciated by local residents. Now that it is officially spring and the weather is warming up, my countdown to summer beach days has begun. In the meantime, I guess my photos from that unseasonably warm day in December will have to suffice. Happy Monday! ...
Food for Thought: Quesadillas
One of my favorite things to make for dinner is quesadillas. They are relatively easy to prepare and can suit even the most discerning palate. I prefer mine with chicken, but you could substitute steak or even lobster as the main ingredient. For vegetables, you can add anything you like to make this a healthier meal. My ingredients are as follows: *Flour tortilla (can use whole wheat if desired - just make sure it is large enough to fold in half) *Thinly sliced chicken breast *Shredded ...
Friday Night Ice
Occasionally it is fun to reminisce about the past and do things you haven't done in a while. For me, it was returning to a pastime that I haven't engaged in since I was seven. As a child, I skated regularly. First I tried rollerblades, then I graduated to ice skates. I took to the ice quickly and skating came naturally to me. Not too long after I began gliding on the ice, I was taking lessons--which included private ice time, an expensive proposition--and competing. But after a brief ...
