Living

After I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2009, I watched my white blood cell and lymphocyte counts quickly climb. But in mid-2013 they began to plateau. They continue...

Financial distress or financial toxicity is a term used to describe the financial problems experienced by cancer patients because of the out of pocket expenses not covered by health insurance...

Check out Part 1 of Ronni's series on life after transplant, Going Home After Transplant: Not a Piece of Cake. When you go home from the hospital after your stem...

This is something that I really struggle with and it never seems to get any better. I’m fine and then out of nowhere BHAM. I hear that someone I was at school...

When I was in high school, I had surgery on my knee which required I wear a brace over my whole leg. I didn’t know which was worse: the recovery...

Perhaps you are thinking about situations where you may not be able to make decisions about your own health care. This may be because you have a chronic illness that...

A cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship are fraught with numerous stressors and challenges. Research has been done to look at stress in cancer survivors and it's often been found that...

A routine blood test revealed a slightly elevated white blood cell count. "No problem," said the physician's assistant, “it's probably just a cold or flu bug.” A few months later...

I’ve written before about how I’m mental about my weight. I know I am. It’s a work in progress. I’m so much better than I used to be. It doesn’t...

Several months ago, I received a sad email notifying me that a fellow nursing colleague had passed away. Rosemary was the one of several colleagues who had been diagnosed with...

Ah, the bucket list. Almost all of us talk about it, but usually in the “if I won the lottery” kind of way. They include all those things that most...

I know we talk about fatigue a ton here, and rightfully so. It’s one of the worst side effects of any disease, and cancer gets it in spades. The disease...

The word “will” can seem loaded when mentioned in casual conversation, and it might seem morbid to talk about or even unnecessary for the average person to think about. However...

Journey. Battle. Fight. Warrior. War. Purpose. Survivor. Test. Beast, which is my personal favorite. The list of words used to describe our cancer experience is endless. I’m ok with all...

After completing my chemotherapy, I was uncertain as to who I should see for routine health care. Routine healthcare includes annual checkups, medical tests, immunizations, and occasional sick visits. My...

I had a friend call me about 3 months into the start of my chemotherapy treatment to catch up and see how treatment was going. During this conversation, he started...

This month has been full of firsts for me!  Feeling good on a chemotherapy, worrying about blood test results, and, making a friend in my clinic! I have been going...

It’s time to talk about pain. Ugh, yeah, I said it. That four-letter word that we all despise that can make everything so much more, well, everything. Even though it...

As cancer survivors, many of us have experienced fatigue. I have also experienced insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep. A good night’s sleep is important to promote rest and help allow...

Okay let me start off by saying, I’ve met many people over the past 9 or so years that have meant well; however, their delivery was a bit questionable, to...