Cancer

Blind Spots, Consistency, and What Remains

On moral exemplars, blind spots, and applying consistent standards—to others and to oneself.

Beginning the PhD Journey: Computer Science, AI, and Finite Time

Spring 2025. I’m starting a PhD in Computer Science at SIUE.

Four months post-stage-4 diagnosis. Fourteen months post-math-masters defense. With uncertain time horizons and clear research priorities.

This isn’t a traditional PhD …

Stage 4: Almost a Year After the Defense

September 2024. The cancer is back. Stage 4. Metastatic.

May/June 2024: Started showing symptoms again. Something wasn’t right.

August 2024: Colonoscopy found tumor in small bowel.

September 2024: First chemo treatment. That’s when they …

Weibull Distributions: The Mathematics of Failure and Survival

The Weibull distribution models time-to-failure. In reliability engineering, that’s component lifetimes. In medicine, it’s survival times.

I’ve been studying Weibull distributions for my thesis on series system reliability. Then I …

Diagnosed with Stage 3 Cancer: Reflections on Mortality and Legacy

I was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. Surgery scheduled for December 31st—literally the last day of 2020.

Fitting end to a difficult year.

I’m not going to use this space for medical details or false optimism. Instead, I want to think about what …