Starting the Tough ConversationsI have lived with, fought, and often beaten back multiple myeloma for going on seven years now. Mine has presented itself as very stubborn and, with 15 lines of treatment...reactions3comments
Cancer On Board Is 2My little cancer charity, Cancer On Board, is now 2. Well, it’s been 2 years since we got official charitable status and I can’t really believe it! It’s amazing and...reactions4comments
Let's Talk About SexLet’s talk about sex. It is a taboo topic, but many cancer patients and survivors experience issues with their sex life before, during, or after treatments. For those who are...reactions2comments
I Don't Want to Know My NumbersI recently got an email from another follicular lymphoma patient. That happens a lot. I’ve kept a blog about FL for over 11 years. Lots of other patients have found...reactions4comments
Sharing Cancer on My Work Social MediaI was recently featured in the first article of a series in the online version of a UK paper. To begin with, I was a bit irritated that I wouldn’t...reactions5comments
Scribbles Shine Light on Year After TransplantYou might think your junk drawer is full of, well, junk, but its contents can actually be worth a lot. It was in my junk shelf – for papers that...reactions3comments
Funny Thing Happened At...I had the honor of attending the Janssen-sponsored 2019 HealtheVoices conference, which is the all that be of the advocacy conferences with amazing patient advocates from across the country. I...reactions5comments
Conversations with a Chaplain: A Chaplain’s Role in Supportive CareRev. Isaac Dusenbury is a chaplain at Duke University Hospital. He completed his chaplain residency at Duke University Hospital’s Surgical and Intensive Care Unit and graduated from the Divinity School...reactions3comments
Reinventing Yourself After CancerWhen you are in the throes of chemo, the real heart of cancer and its treatment, it consumes you. Mentally, physically and spiritually, all your energy is focused upon besting...reactions17comments
Exercise Gives Structure to Hospital StayBack when I was running a lot, I often vowed to work on my neglected upper body strength. That meant recommitting myself to going to exercise classes, doing planks, or...reactions4comments
Financial Planning for Cancer PatientsA cancer patient must be focused on healing and fighting their disease. However, due to spiraling medical expenses, especially drug costs, many cancer patients may worry about paying for expenses...reactions1comment
QuietusI once heard of a man who had cancer and was given only a short time to live. His family didn’t talk about it. Even he didn’t know what to...reactions8comments
Multiple Transplants, Many ReactionsWhen people hear that I had four bone marrow transplants, their reactions fall into three categories summarized like so: To back up, a few people have said that my first...reactions1comment
A 2 Week Treatment Break...FinallyA two-week break from treatment has started!!! Which is beyond amazing. I've needed this. The exhaustion has been beyond bearable. I have been at breaking point. I have been reminded why...reactions2comments
Finding My New NicheIf you would have asked me to tell you about myself a few years ago, I would have probably started with my family. I would have told you stories about my...reactions7comments
A Family Affair: Managing the Impact of Cancer on FamilyA cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming for family and others in your life. It may be necessary to actively work to promote supportive relationships at this difficult time. The challenges...reactions3comments
A Roller Coaster Called CancerWhen I was kid, I liked roller coasters. I wasn’t a roller coaster nut but I was a fan. What I didn’t like were the rides that spun you upside...reactions5comments
A Persistent Cold and Fatigue Sets InWell, it hasn’t been a great couple of weeks. After I wrote the post about still feeling good on a double dose, I noticed some things. And they aren’t great. My...reactions6comments
Beach Grass: This Community's Strong RootsAll my life I’ve been an introvert and a loner. Even in high school I didn’t belong to any clicks. I wasn’t a jock, or a nerd, or one of...reactions4comments
Honesty is the Best Policy: Dealing with Family that Can't Handle CancerLet me share a letter I recently wrote to a cousin who told me he would be happy to help me with an issue I had with my multiple myeloma...reactions20comments