Living

Earlier this week, I started freaking out because I thought I was relapsing. I thought, “No, not now, not again please.” I had been feeling horribly fatigued, to the point...

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...

Christmas morning. I was enjoying a relaxing, festive time with my family. My phone buzzed. It was an automated reminder from the cancer hospital. I had an oncologist appointment in...

It is not easy to deal with a blood cancer diagnosis or the many treatments that follow.  And yes, it is so easy in the middle of treatment to quietly...

Looking back some 3 years ago, when my blood cancer diagnosis was brand new, I recalled the many months of chemo infusions while also remembering the many challenges. I often asked...

I recently enjoyed hearing about the 2023 National Teacher of the Year. Her name is Rebecca Petterson, and she lives in my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We retired teachers are...

This past week, I went to my doctor for an appointment that I thought, for once, wouldn’t have much to do about my past cancer diagnosis. But I underestimated how...

There has been a lot of talk lately about what surviving cancer actually means, and I think it’s a valid question that doesn’t get talked about much. There is life...

When you are diagnosed with blood cancer, most doctors will do their best to try to prepare you for the future. You will be referred to other doctors, support groups...

I never thought I would count myself as one of “the walkers,” the legion of exercisers who blaze sidewalks and trails to sharpen their fitness. But, following an autologous stem...

In “The Beauty of Dusk,” New York Times columnist Frank Bruni writes about losing his vision but gaining insights after a stroke left him blind in one eye and unsure...

It is fair to say that every blood cancer patient and their experiences are not the same. The process and steps can be a unique experience, whether good, bad, or...

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...

I don’t want to say too much. It’s all bit raw. Processing. It looks like big change is about to happen. Not with my health. At least, I don’t think...

We have heard the joke about the 2 big certainties in life being taxes, and death. And while we can certainly avoid paying taxes for a while, eventually, the tax...

I was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia in 2011. Having an autoimmune disease means trying to avoid infections wherever we can. My fellow blood cancer patients can relate. When I...

Shortly after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma on May 2, 2011, I started my blog, "MattvsMyeloma", as a way of letting family and friends know how I was doing, given...

Cancer is a lifelong illness. I know many of us have heard that phrase, or even said it ourselves, but what does it really mean? Does it mean A. cancer...

Over five years, I had cancer three different times. The first and second times, it showed up as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and the third time as large B-cell lymphoma. I had...

I saw several suspenseful disaster movies back-to-back when I was young. Some of these included The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno and Earthquake. These movies gave me nightmares for months...