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Tête-à-tête

7/31/2017

5 Comments

 
Monday, July 31st, 2017
Baltimore, Maryland

Witness to a moment

When I was leaving the Radiation Oncology department this afternoon, there was an older couple in my path, just down the hall. They both appeared to be in their late 70s. He was in a wheelchair and wearing a hospital gown open at the back; there was a large surgical scar on his scalp. She was kneeling next to him. Each leaned toward the other with eyes closed and foreheads gently touching. I stood there transfixed, trying to determine if the moment I was witnessing was heart-warming or heart-breaking. I suspect it was both.

My radiation therapy in a nutshell

The technology behind my radiation therapy works like this: a linear accelerator is used to propel a stream of electrons to just below the speed of light. Powerful magnets are used to steer the electrons in the right direction (i.e. me), since otherwise they would travel in a straight line forever. The electrons smash into one side of a small metal disk which then emits high-energy photons on the other side. (This is called the photoelectric effect, which Einstein discovered and for which he won his only Nobel Prize.) Those photons, in turn, collide with and eject electrons from the tumor DNA in my spleen. The bombarded cells, with damaged DNA, fail to replicate and die.

Pretty nifty stuff, eh?

​If you'd like to learn more about radiation therapy in general, check out the excellent fact sheet on the website of the National Cancer Institute. If you'd like to learn more about the science and technology behind the Elekta Versa HD, the fascinating equipment used for my own therapy, check out the adjacent video. It's very interesting.

The house that Pope built

The weekend before last, Alison and I visited the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) twice. We visited for several hours ourselves on Saturday and then returned on Sunday with our niece Becca. The museum was built in 1929 in the Romanesque style, designed by the architect John Russell Pope. Although I had not heard of Pope previously, he appears to be famous in American architectural circles. Some of his best-known buildings are the Jefferson Memorial, National Archives and the National Gallery of Art, all in Washington, D.C., as well as Union Station (now the Science Museum of Virginia) in our very own Richmond, Virginia!

Although their overall holdings are impressive, the museum's crown jewel is the Cone Collection. Donated to the museum upon their deaths by Claribel and Etta Cone, two wealthy spinster sisters from here in Baltimore, the collection contains over 500 works by Matisse alone (the largest public collection of Matisse in the world). Since the sisters revolved in the same social circle as Henri himself (and Pablo to boot), this isn't much of a surprise.

We've included pictures of various works (photography is encouraged at the museum) down below.
Picture
Click to enlarge

Pictures

Here are some photos that we've either taken or collected in the last week. ​​

Tidbit

My dad visited us here in Baltimore this past weekend and as per our new usual, we tag-teamed on one crossword puzzle per day. This always introduces us to a few new words, most of which I forget immediately. Two new words that we discovered this weekend that have managed to stick in my head are recto and verso. These terms (shortened from the Latin rectō foliō and versō foliō) refer to the front and back sides, respectively, of a sheet of paper when it is bound within a larger item like a book. (If a sheet is unbound, apparently, no one gives a hoot.)

Now, I just need to figure out how to drop my new words into casual conversation. Any suggestions?
Picture
Example for a left-to-right language
5 Comments
Mom
8/1/2017 05:34:58 pm

I love the blog, love the painting of man with viola and I love you and Ali❤️
FEED MY TURTLE🐢🐢

Reply
Bev Bley
8/1/2017 05:38:00 pm

WOW!!! Thank you, Josh, for all the pictures, the fabulous explanation
of your radiation therapy. So much to learn and so grateful you keep us up on what is happening.

Deb, Tim, Jenna, Taylor, Garrett and two Noga's were here for 5 days. Deb and Tim took the kids to the airport and are here now looking at the construction of their second house, two houses down from us. in Eastport.

You have so many people cheering you on. Love you both.

Reply
Jo Lewis
8/1/2017 07:40:06 pm

Love your explanation of the process and the beautiful art to boot!
We are praying for Josh.
Remember...you are loved!
Jo

Reply
Jennifer Payne
8/2/2017 09:32:25 am

Spinster?! Really? What do you call an old man who never married? Lucky?

Love the photos -- especially the bronze statute of the naked spinster with big boobs.

Reply
Josh
8/6/2017 11:16:10 am

Dearest Jennifer, I did in fact research that word before using it in my post. Literally, a spinster is "one who spins (wool)" and that was typically a trade performed only by unmarried women. Admittedly, "spinster" has taken on negative connotations since then, but I decided to take the high road and stick with the original definition and ignore those despicable connotations. -Kindly, Josh

Reply



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    Joshua Golub

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  • Home
  • Family
    • The Coles >
      • Cole Rehearsal Dinner
      • Cole Wedding
      • Coles in Lexington 2018
    • The Delisios >
      • Delisio Orlando 2001
      • JP's College Graduation
      • Delisio Thanksgiving 2017
      • Becca's 21st
      • Liesl's 50th
    • The Dropplemans >
      • 2005 Droppleman Reunion
      • 2010 Droppleman Reunion
      • 2011 Droppleman Reunion
      • Nanny's 70th Birthday
      • Random Collection
      • David's Camera
      • Droppleman Thanksgiving 2017
      • Dave's 80th Birthday
      • Corrotoman 2020
    • The Golubs >
      • Holiday Letters >
        • 2020
        • 2012
      • 2020 >
        • Bethlehem 2020
        • Circle Quilts 2020
        • Ginger's Shower 2020
        • Josh's 55th
        • Reservoir Hollow Trail 2020
      • 2019 >
        • Christmas 2019
        • Eli's Sendoff 2019
        • July 4th 2019
        • Madagascar 2019
        • NYC 2019
        • San Diego 2019
        • Santa 2019
        • Thanksgiving 2019
        • Tucson 2019
      • 2018 >
        • Alison's 56th
        • Botanical Garden
        • Christmas 2018
        • Cincinnati 2018
        • Dad's 75th
        • Easter
        • Eli's College Graduation 2018
        • Rachel 2018
      • 2017 >
        • Alison's 55th
        • Brooklyn Golubs in Lexington
        • Indianapolis
      • 2016 >
        • Matt's Graduation
        • Nathan's Pets
      • 2010 >
        • Rachel's Wedding
    • The Immigs >
      • Aunt Eileen's Memorial
      • Uncle Bill
      • Chaz's Wedding
    • The Normans >
      • Dave's 65th
      • Nancy's Bridal Shower
      • Nancy's 27th 2017
    • The Roberts >
      • Mom's 75th
      • PopPop
      • PopPop's 60th
      • PopPop's 75th
      • The Roberts Random Collection
    • The Scarpellos >
      • Lucia's First Birthday
      • Baby Joshua Joseph Kenneth Scarpello
      • Josh's 3rd Birthday
      • Josh's 5th Birthday
    • The Simmons >
      • John and Alan's Wedding
      • Camping with Will and Stacey
      • Cam and Nancy's Wedding
      • Panama City 2004
      • Ian Fall 2020
    • The Zbars >
      • 2006 Zbar Reunion
      • Uncle Bert's 80th
  • Friends
    • Otters
    • 2020 >
      • Carson Trexler 2020
      • Girls Walk 2020
    • 2019 >
      • Edenton 2019
    • 2018 >
      • Ingersolls in Richmond 2018
      • With Beth at River 2018
    • 2017 >
      • The Steps of Church Hill
    • 2016 >
      • Michael Zacharias Wedding
    • 2011 >
      • Marie's 50th Birthday
    • 2010 >
      • Edenton 2010
  • Blue Dove
  • Blog