Your Advice For Others: Building A Strong Support SystemIn the face of blood cancer, building a strong support system can make a world of difference. This compilation features advice shared by members of our community in a recent...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Why People Play Down Blood Cancer and How To Deal With ItThere’s been a lot of talk lately about having our cancer diagnosis minimized, and I have to say that I have experienced it myself and know many people have. Why...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Using Values to Navigate Life Transitions After a Cancer DiagnosisA cancer diagnosis is a definitive change catalyst. After receiving their news, patients often find their lives bouncing through tumultuous change, particularly at the very beginning of their cancer journeys...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Quest to Find My Pre-Leukemia SelfAs a writer, some of my best ideas and thoughts arrive at unexpected times. Such was the case today when I was driving home from occupational therapy. This is my...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Support SystemI’m very lucky in that I have an amazing support system. It’s something that was very apparent from the moment I was diagnosed. Friends taking me to the hospital. Visitors...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Tolerating Testing and TreatmentWhen I was a kid, needles were terrifying! It was common for me to kick, scream, and fight when told I needed a shot or blood draw. Yes, this actually...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Preventive Medicine and Multiple Myeloma AdvocacyI had the pleasure of attending this year’s ACPM (American College of Preventive Medicine) conference in Washington DC. In a nutshell, ACPM’s main mission is to modify the healthcare system...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The "Good" CancerI have heard some people say non-Hodgkins follicular lymphoma (FL), is the “good” kind of cancer. I mean yes and no. I don’t think there is any “good” cancer. With FL...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Chronic Questioning With Chronic Myeloid LeukemiaIt is easy for others to forget the chronic nature of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but I do not have the luxury of forgetting. In October, I will mark the...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Dear Blood Cancer, I Have a Bone To Pick With You!You came uninvited, at the worst of times, Bringing with you mountains too steep to climb. I hate you for the fear, the hurt, the tears, For how you touch...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Chemo, Radiation, and HURRICANES?!? Oh My!!Recently I've had the pleasure of going through yet another hurricane in my lifetime. I was raised mainly in Florida, so hurricanes are a normal occurrence. But since moving to...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Embracing Blood CancerThere comes a time when we realize that some things in life are not working. For me, that deep awakening occurred following a series of traumatic episodes. Strangely enough, a...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Overcoming ObstaclesIt took me 6 months of training to prepare my mind, as well as my mind and body for a race. I’m so glad I signed up, and I must...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Breaking Down Blood Cancer Awareness in SeptemberSeptember is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. If you are on this site, you likely either have blood cancer or know someone who does. On thing is for sure: we all...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Understanding Non-Compliance: My Journey with Blood CancerDealing with blood cancer is challenging enough without facing misunderstandings and misjudgments. Here’s my story of being perceived as non-compliant to treatment, and what I did about it. When I...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Embracing a New Normal by Overcoming Feelings of FailureAs cancer patients, we often have to come to grips with “the new normal.” For us, it starts soon after diagnosis. Eventually, and probably, the sooner the better, we have...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Message of HopeThis year, I had a slightly different attitude towards blood cancer awareness month, specifically CML Awareness Day (September 22), and decided to do an Instagram live about it. On my...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
CAR T and the Fatigue FalloutWhen I was going into the trial for CAR T-cell therapy, I knew it required a seven-day hospital stay. I told the admitting nurse that I would be out of...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What Do You Have To Prove?As the youngest sibling, I spent a lifetime trying to keep up with the accomplishments, expectations, and approval of my older sisters. As a mom, I have found myself wanting...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
The Importance of SleepWe sleep for one-third of our lives. That’s how important sleep is. However, Dr. Marishka Brown, a sleep expert at the National Institutes of Health, points out that sleep is...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments