Susan Gonsalves

Having blood cancer, sometimes I feel like my movements are stifled by quicksand. There are ups and downs in life for everyone. But trudging through nine years with chronic myeloid...

Dating back to pre-school age, my mom used to tell me she would put a stack of records (dating myself!) on the stereo, sit me down in a rocking chair...

I’m back in the job hunt rat race. First impressions? It’s not pretty. Looking for a job and holding down a position has unique challenges when you are battling blood...

It's okay not to always be strong. It's fine to let others and, more importantly, yourself, know that living with blood cancer takes a toll on the patient--mind, body, and...

Sometimes the support you find when diagnosed with blood cancer comes from unexpected places. Nine years ago, it was unchartered territory for me when I learned I had a rare...

If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, such as the need to visit the emergency room, I’ve learned from experience that a little advanced preparation goes a long...

When October comes, many people associate it with pumpkins, beautiful foliage, or even football games. For me, October is significant for other reasons. No, it is not because it is...

After nearly nine years of living with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), I think I should have paid better attention earlier on to the signs along this road. I’m not talking...

Because of a hectic work schedule and medical problems, I recently took a hiatus from social media. I left a pinned "status" on Facebook. I don’t watch the TV show...

After I was finally diagnosed with a blood disorder, possibly leukemia, I had two appointments with my first hematologist. She let me know that she'd set me up with a...

Having blood cancer is like driving down a road full of potholes. First of all, you have to make sure all these dips and jostles along the way do not...

Does having blood cancer make me overly sensitive to what others say? Please let me know if you feel that way too. The other day I was having an evaluation...

I heard that Blood-Cancer.com is celebrating its fifth birthday on May 3 and I definitely should mark that milestone on my calendar! Maybe I’ll even have ice cream. Although my...

I’ve shut myself away for the last several weeks and that can be a good thing—or not. My eight-year journey with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) took a turn last year...

As the year ends, I reflect back on what has been a tough time medically for me—and not just because of my chronic myeloid leukemia diagnosis. It has been eight...

If I’ve learned anything over the past eight years with chronic myeloid leukemia, it’s that we blood cancer patients are a resilient lot. It’s not as if we have a...

Recently, I was thinking about the question: How should a person speak to someone living with a blood cancer? The only answer I could come up with is “normally.” What...

People who have blood cancer often learn about it while undergoing routine blood tests or other procedures. Others find out by chance. I was such a person. But that is...

October is an important month for me and it has taken on more significance over the past eight years. Toward the middle of the month back in 2014, I received...