Living

I was first diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia seven years ago. My first visit with the CML specialist lasted for three hours. I remember some of what was said and...

During and long after chemo treatments for my non-Hodgkin lymphoma, it was not unusual for me to feel tired. I do not mean sleepy, I mean totally exhausted. This was...

Having blood cancer is emotionally and financially draining. There is so much going on, but the best thing you can do right now is take care of yourself. The problem...

I was very sad to hear of the recent passing of General Colin Powell. His death as reported was due to complications from COVID-19, as well as suffering from a...

I’ve been in a bit of an odd place with this pregnancy – not that I’ve been pregnant before so this is my first experience, but when I saw those...

Insurance. It is essential when you have an illness like cancer, and I’m not just talking about medical insurance to help with the finances. When I say insurance, I really...

Long before the Cabbage Patch dolls, we baby boomer girls had Chatty Cathy! Santa Claus brought me one for Christmas in 1960. (My parents ordered her from the Montgomery Ward Catalog...

Being a part of a blood cancer community is not something I ever thought I would do. I actually stayed far away from support groups when I was in active...

It’s hard for me to say what makes my tennis game great on one day, good on another, and pretty bad on others. It has the same variability as many...

This year I turned 60 and on my birthday I made a pledge to try 60 new things. It has been 6 months and I have been very busy working...

Years ago, I helped my mother prepare for her Sunday School class meeting because it was her turn to host and serve a dessert. So we picked apples from a...

My life was turned upside down with my unexpected cancer diagnosis. It was initially difficult to plan for the future. I considered things I would miss or no longer enjoy...

When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2011 (which, by the way, when I say this, I feel like I’m the old guy telling kids how we did things...

Well, believe it or not, this week is week 32 of pregnancy and I have hit the eighth month! I can’t really believe how quickly time has flown by. The...

“You don’t look sick!” I’ve been told over and over again. Most of my pain is not readily visible. My oncologist had told me that I had won the “cancer...

On July 31, 2007, Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was watching and paying attention. As I watched Robin, she...

In case you missed it, check out Part 1 of this series! The adage that “the customer is always right” may not always be true, but it is so much...

"Sometimes you have to buy flowers for yourself!" my friend said. So she does!  My friend, Lynn, frequently buys flowers to cheer up her office at work. Why not? I...

What a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive. Though this quote may not be exactly where I’m going, there is a tangled mess when we deal with...

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve written which is odd as I have some mega news and normally I’d be shouting about it all over the internet, but, this...