Living

It is National Nurses Week so I've been thinking about my experiences as an RN, Nurse Executive and RN Instructor, and now as a nurse cancer survivor. I also began...

In late 2009, I was trimming some trees in my backyard. A small branch fell over the wall into my neighbor’s yard.  I jumped over the wall to get the...

During my battle with lymphoma, my focus was on wellness. I could not think about anything else but getting well. I didn’t let myself plan for the future or months...

Sometimes, I have to remind myself exactly what is strength and why is it so important for our care and getting through the battles faced by so many. One thing...

You wouldn’t think a cancer survivor would get upset by being asked, “How are you feeling?” Or that they would be bothered by being told, “You look great.” None of...

The last 7 weeks have been amazing. I’m on my new drug and I am able to have a life! I’m not completely crippled by chronic fatigue. And it’s completely...

Receiving chemotherapy can be a frightening experience. Even as a nurse with many years of clinical practice, I really did not know what to expect. I thought it might be...

This journey has been so eye-opening to me in more ways than I can count. I've learned a lot about myself, but also a lot about the people around me...

For the first time in over 11 years, I worried about blood test results, which was a strange place to be. I’m normally completely trusting that all will be ok or...

My long-term memory is still pretty decent (I think). I can still solve a quadratic equation using formulas I learned almost 50 years ago in algebra class, and sing the...

A few years ago, I found myself dealing with the adversity of cancer. I was feeling totally exhausted after chemotherapy and was expected to return to my full-time teaching position...

Back in my newspaper days, when telling someone what beat I covered, I would say something like, “I have arts and entertainment.” I also had the mental health beat, so...

Growing up I always liked numbers. In high school, I’d get bored and watch the clock and on a sheet of paper on my desk I’d keep track of how...

If you’ve read my past posts you’ve seen me mention The Big Climb where we trudge up the stairs of the tallest building in Washington State to raise money for...

A few days ago, my son sent me a text at 2:00am. He’s in college, and I know he’s been busy with a bunch of projects that he’s working hard...

Some days this diagnosis feels like I am sitting on death row, waiting for execution day to arrive. Every time I start a new treatment, it is as if yet...

Out of the blue in 2007 around 6 months after my diagnosis and being taken off Imatinib and waiting to go onto Dasatinib, I had IVF treatment to store my...

I’m not good at being tired. As I write this, I’m struggling to stay awake. I have things to do and stories to write, but I can do these things...

Cancer is such an awkward topic. What do you say to someone who has just been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness? How do you talk to them? What can you...

In this series, we discuss causes of anxiety for those facing a physical illness like blood cancer and its side effects. Phrases in quotes are the words of our community...