Diary of an Illness

By Dennis W. Pyritz, RN

Introduction

Diary of an Illness, by Dennis W. Pyritz, RN, chronicles his ongoing journey with a rare, aggressive, and incurable T cell leukemia. Told from the unique viewpoint of a veteran oncology nurse, this very private journal tracks his experiences from discovery through treatment and remission to the strangely more difficult survival phase. It details the personal struggles--physical, emotional and intellectual—for the patient who knows both too much and too little. This journal, begun as a way of sharing with family and close friends, has demonstrated a broader appeal for others with cancer and for the people, professional and otherwise, caring for them. Finally, Diary of an Illness has proved that it is possible for any of us, even in the face of calamity, to continue to make a difference.