Matthew Slater
@matthewslater.bsky.social
Philosopher of science at Bucknell University; living with cancer (so far...); microblogging about my treatment here: scroll to first post for the backstory if you're interested.
https://www.mhslater.com/
https://philpeople.org/profiles/matthew-h-slater
https://www.mhslater.com/
https://philpeople.org/profiles/matthew-h-slater
So normally I'd be back to chemo this morning. But all that's on hold in the leadup (and hopefully aftermath) of my surgery. 🥳Instead, I'm back for a CT scan to get a pre-surgery baseline. And no grape for me this time! Brought my own orange gatorade.
November 17, 2025 at 7:35 PM
So normally I'd be back to chemo this morning. But all that's on hold in the leadup (and hopefully aftermath) of my surgery. 🥳Instead, I'm back for a CT scan to get a pre-surgery baseline. And no grape for me this time! Brought my own orange gatorade.
I started #chemo session #22 in the *private* room in the clinic for the first time (since the rest of the chairs were occupied). No one told me that this chair has a massage feature! As a bonus, I got a lunch hangout with my friend Miranda who was passing through before heading back to CA.
November 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I started #chemo session #22 in the *private* room in the clinic for the first time (since the rest of the chairs were occupied). No one told me that this chair has a massage feature! As a bonus, I got a lunch hangout with my friend Miranda who was passing through before heading back to CA.
Pre-surgery last night. The team at MSK is so good in so many ways. Everything was smooth. No nausea this time. Will have some abdominal pain for a few days (4 incisions) but not too bad. No news to report. Apparently it’s hard to tell the difference between live cancer and dead (due to chemo). 🤞
October 18, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Pre-surgery last night. The team at MSK is so good in so many ways. Everything was smooth. No nausea this time. Will have some abdominal pain for a few days (4 incisions) but not too bad. No news to report. Apparently it’s hard to tell the difference between live cancer and dead (due to chemo). 🤞
So my procedure has been serially moved back to 7:30pm today. Mind you, I was ordered not to eat after midnight last night. After some pushback, they said that I could have a light breakfast. My omelette and Laura’s pancakes at Sarabeth’s were very light and fluffy. So we’re good!
October 17, 2025 at 3:06 PM
So my procedure has been serially moved back to 7:30pm today. Mind you, I was ordered not to eat after midnight last night. After some pushback, they said that I could have a light breakfast. My omelette and Laura’s pancakes at Sarabeth’s were very light and fluffy. So we’re good!
In NYC for my diagnostic laparoscopy tomorrow. Pre-surgical testing in the bag. Managed to avoid the temptations of their automatic espresso machine (lest it wreck my BP!).
October 16, 2025 at 10:04 PM
In NYC for my diagnostic laparoscopy tomorrow. Pre-surgical testing in the bag. Managed to avoid the temptations of their automatic espresso machine (lest it wreck my BP!).
This weather sure makes the chemo aftermath easier to take. Round #18 commenced.
September 8, 2025 at 5:13 PM
This weather sure makes the chemo aftermath easier to take. Round #18 commenced.
Had a very nice pre-classes, pre-chemo trip to NYC to visit some friends and attend opening day at the U.S. Open. Sprung for the good seats in Armstrong (saw Raducanu and Fritz matches) but took in lots else on the outer courts and even watched some practice sessions. Back to reality yesterday.
August 26, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Had a very nice pre-classes, pre-chemo trip to NYC to visit some friends and attend opening day at the U.S. Open. Sprung for the good seats in Armstrong (saw Raducanu and Fritz matches) but took in lots else on the outer courts and even watched some practice sessions. Back to reality yesterday.
Another morning with my grape-iodine CT contrast solution. Revolutionary new info though: I can bring my own flavor if I want!
August 20, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Another morning with my grape-iodine CT contrast solution. Revolutionary new info though: I can bring my own flavor if I want!
Made it to Lisbon — a very vertical city. Feeling good and also exhausted from all of the walking! Weather is perfect.
July 18, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Made it to Lisbon — a very vertical city. Feeling good and also exhausted from all of the walking! Weather is perfect.
Interesting phenomenon: my resting heart rate (consistently around 62 before chemo) has been varying on the same biweekly schedule during chemo. Oddly, it's lowest during treatment weeks and goes up the week after.
In other news, platelets are up slightly. So . . . "yay" treatment tomorrow is OK.
In other news, platelets are up slightly. So . . . "yay" treatment tomorrow is OK.
July 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Interesting phenomenon: my resting heart rate (consistently around 62 before chemo) has been varying on the same biweekly schedule during chemo. Oddly, it's lowest during treatment weeks and goes up the week after.
In other news, platelets are up slightly. So . . . "yay" treatment tomorrow is OK.
In other news, platelets are up slightly. So . . . "yay" treatment tomorrow is OK.
Back from the Mayan Riviera in time for a (one-day-delayed) #chemo treatment. #11: ONE LOUDER! (actually, 10% less because of my low platelet count). Vacation was *very* relaxing and badly needed.
CT scan showed disease stability. Not as good as reduction, but not bad either. I'll take it.
CT scan showed disease stability. Not as good as reduction, but not bad either. I'll take it.
May 28, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Back from the Mayan Riviera in time for a (one-day-delayed) #chemo treatment. #11: ONE LOUDER! (actually, 10% less because of my low platelet count). Vacation was *very* relaxing and badly needed.
CT scan showed disease stability. Not as good as reduction, but not bad either. I'll take it.
CT scan showed disease stability. Not as good as reduction, but not bad either. I'll take it.
Ah, yet another hour spent with my Big Gulp of disgustingly grape flavored contrast solution for another CAT scan. 🤢 Hopefully this one will be more informative than the last.
May 16, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Ah, yet another hour spent with my Big Gulp of disgustingly grape flavored contrast solution for another CAT scan. 🤢 Hopefully this one will be more informative than the last.
Had a delightful weekend in NYC (great weather for hanging in Central Park), including dinners with good friends and seeing killer guitarist Julian Lage at the Vanguard. Now back for round 10 of #chemo. Leaving off the irinotecan agin so I can have a more pleasant next week when we're in Mexico! ☀️🌴🏖️
May 13, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Had a delightful weekend in NYC (great weather for hanging in Central Park), including dinners with good friends and seeing killer guitarist Julian Lage at the Vanguard. Now back for round 10 of #chemo. Leaving off the irinotecan agin so I can have a more pleasant next week when we're in Mexico! ☀️🌴🏖️
Back in the #chemo chair today (#7), sporting my stylish f*ck cancer socks. Feeling oddly nostalgic, as this might be my last treatment for a while. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's because it doesn't seem to be working. CT scan last week showed worsening disease. [short thread...]
April 1, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Back in the #chemo chair today (#7), sporting my stylish f*ck cancer socks. Feeling oddly nostalgic, as this might be my last treatment for a while. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's because it doesn't seem to be working. CT scan last week showed worsening disease. [short thread...]
#chemo week 6 of 12. A bit jarring to go back to the full four drug combo after a lighter week, but at least I'm on the downhill slope of this particular regimen now. Thanks to the mystery person who sent us some cans of non-alcoholic cocktail (no note in the box). Cheers!
March 20, 2025 at 1:18 AM
#chemo week 6 of 12. A bit jarring to go back to the full four drug combo after a lighter week, but at least I'm on the downhill slope of this particular regimen now. Thanks to the mystery person who sent us some cans of non-alcoholic cocktail (no note in the box). Cheers!
Also managed to get a mini hike in at Anza-Borrego State Park. On our way home now. It's been fun, SoCal.
March 15, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Also managed to get a mini hike in at Anza-Borrego State Park. On our way home now. It's been fun, SoCal.
After a few days of San Diego fun (IPA Heaven at Stone, for example), we headed over the mountains to take in a few days of tennis at Indian Wells ("the 5th slam"). Probably saw more than 10 matches over two days.
March 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
After a few days of San Diego fun (IPA Heaven at Stone, for example), we headed over the mountains to take in a few days of tennis at Indian Wells ("the 5th slam"). Probably saw more than 10 matches over two days.
It's been a long, hard winter. Really appreciating these SoCal spring vibes this week.
March 10, 2025 at 11:36 PM
It's been a long, hard winter. Really appreciating these SoCal spring vibes this week.
Enjoying my very “me” lunch: everything butter (2nd fav NZ product) and marionberry/habanero jam from Oregon with blackberries and macadamia nuts while watching yesterday’s Blazer win.
February 4, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Enjoying my very “me” lunch: everything butter (2nd fav NZ product) and marionberry/habanero jam from Oregon with blackberries and macadamia nuts while watching yesterday’s Blazer win.
Bonus benefit of seeing docs in NYC is obviously the food — enjoyed soup dumplings last night with my friend Eve who's sabbaticaling (if I may make that a verb) at Cornell Weil this semester. We've been friends since we were . . . 12?!
January 31, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Bonus benefit of seeing docs in NYC is obviously the food — enjoyed soup dumplings last night with my friend Eve who's sabbaticaling (if I may make that a verb) at Cornell Weil this semester. We've been friends since we were . . . 12?!
Back from double visit at MSKCC (surgeon and oncologist). Surgeon answered a question I've had about how we tell whether the #chemo is successful when my #carcinomatosis doesn't show up on a PET scan: take a look (laparoscopically). Oncologist says stay the course. So that's what we'll do.🤞
January 31, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Back from double visit at MSKCC (surgeon and oncologist). Surgeon answered a question I've had about how we tell whether the #chemo is successful when my #carcinomatosis doesn't show up on a PET scan: take a look (laparoscopically). Oncologist says stay the course. So that's what we'll do.🤞
Between appointments at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The waiting area has a fancy automated espresso machine. Dangerous. . . .
January 30, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Between appointments at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The waiting area has a fancy automated espresso machine. Dangerous. . . .
#Chemo Round 2 of 12 in the books. Overall, I feel less bad than last week. Less nauseous, a *little* less hiccupy, less "stopped up", more cold sensitive (though it's colder), about the same level of fatigue — but I've been doing more (light) exercise, so that's probably relevant. I'll take it.
January 24, 2025 at 8:33 PM
#Chemo Round 2 of 12 in the books. Overall, I feel less bad than last week. Less nauseous, a *little* less hiccupy, less "stopped up", more cold sensitive (though it's colder), about the same level of fatigue — but I've been doing more (light) exercise, so that's probably relevant. I'll take it.
So here’s what the full fluorouracil (aptly nicknamed 5FU) pump looks like. I carry it around in a trendy little fanny pack tote (“as is the style of the time…”). Feeling no worse than last time thankfully.
January 21, 2025 at 8:10 PM
So here’s what the full fluorouracil (aptly nicknamed 5FU) pump looks like. I carry it around in a trendy little fanny pack tote (“as is the style of the time…”). Feeling no worse than last time thankfully.
