Brian Blum
Brian Blum is a freelance writer, journalist and editor. He works for an eclectic mix of newspapers, online magazines, universities, non-profit organizations and public companies. "This Normal Life," his personal blog, has appeared weekly since 2002. A former hi-tech entrepreneur, Brian moved to Jerusalem from the San Francisco Bay Area in 1994 with his wife and three children. More at Blum Interactive Media
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Could consciousness last forever? - opinion
Words matter: How we speak about cancer can hinder healing - opinion
The full Monty: When dog and owner are both battling cancer - opinion
To pee or not to pee: A cancer patient's experience with a nephrostomy - opinion
I’m looking forward to when my cancer is entirely gone, the nephrostomy is no longer needed, and I can pee like the rest of humanity again.
Indulging in TV: A cancer patient's escape - opinion
I’d much rather be outdoors hiking or having fun beyond the telly – I hope that will come back. In the meantime, TV it is.
Fighting cancer: How a hospital stay at Hadassah feels like an international flight - opinion
I envisioned hospitalization as being somewhat akin to taking an international flight to an exotic location.
When cancer treatment goes wrong: An irreversibly damaged kidney and worsened lymphoma - opinion
The stent hadn’t helped after all; the impacted kidney had, in fact, been irreversibly damaged and was now functioning at a paltry 20%. Why? The cancer was back, and worse.
My first fentanyl: What it was like being sedated by the infamous narcotic - opinion
Fentanyl has long been used for pain reduction and sedation in medical settings.
Horrors and heroes: Reasons to bless the bad that came from Oct. 7 - opinion
The Mishna suggests that even the most personal of tragedies can and should receive a blessing.
8 essential English-language podcasts to understand Israel's war - opinion
Here are eight essential English-language podcasts that have kept me in the know.
Yoni Bloch's fantasy peace video gives the faintest glimmer of hope - opinion
Much of what is shown in the video is artificially generated, envisioning the emotional response in Israel - and in Bloch’s rendering, worldwide - to the release of the hostages.
Cancer is not a ‘battle’: Reframing the experience of people with cancer and its symptoms - opinion
Referring to cancer as a “battle” minimizes the many real issues faced by cancer patients who must live with nausea, pain, fatigue, and more.
'There won't be a state': Will internal strife lead another Jewish nation to ruin? - opinion
Both Solomon’s kingdom and the Hasmonean dynasty were beset by internal strife in their fourth quarters, allowing external enemies to destroy the Jewish state. That pattern is happening again.
