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  • July 31st

    July 31st

    Twenty-one years ago, best friends were married. July 31, 2004, was a beautiful, sunny (i.e. HOT) day. That square on the calendar marked the beginning of a new life. No longer just Jason & Susan – we became “the Newmans” that day. A unit. A family. One. We have grown since that day—in figurative and…

  • Instead

    Instead

    The end of July has always been a special time for us. There’s a lull in kids’ activities, our anniversary, and time to let the RV stretch its wheels. We travel the country like an old retired couple (plus four school-aged children). Today, we should be pulling into Grand Teton National Park and then onto…

  • Gray

    Gray

    Jason’s cancer is gray. Literally. The first biopsy of his brain was white—the color of a normal cerebellum. Bright, normal, white neurons. So deeper they went. The second core was gray. The surgeon knew he was in tumor. Gray. What an ugly color. It’s the color of brain tumors. It’s the color of brain cancer…

  • Two Faces

    Two Faces

    “I have MRI results,” said the familiar radiologist voice on the other end of the phone. “Good. I actually have you on speaker phone with Dr. Newman, too. It’s her husband,” replied our Primary Care Provider as we sat in our shared office that Thursday morning. “Umm…” came the voice on the other end of…

  • Miracles

    Miracles

    We believe in God, and respect that some of you reading this don’t. We believe in miracles, and know that some of you reading this don’t. As much as I would love to say that we’re expecting the miracle that Jason’s tumor will inexplicably be gone when they go to do the biopsy on Tuesday,…

  • Cancer

    Cancer

    It’s THE word everyone hates hearing. But, it’s the word everyone hates saying even more. I hate telling patients they have cancer. It has never rolled off my tongue well. But, I hate saying the words I’ve said this week, and the same words that I’m about to write, more than I have ever HATED…

  • Sky Diver

    Sky Diver

    You can jump, or you can stay in the plane, but “you can’t skydive part way1.”  On May 2, 2025, at 9:05AM I jumped. I resigned from my job.  After 11 years and 7 months, with wet eyes I uttered “It’s over” to our clinic office manager. With this news, often peoples’ first response is…