It’s The ‘tude That CountsI am now living with blood cancer and undergoing infusions with all the joys that treatment brings. A few days after my first infusion my white blood count went to...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Port or Not to PortMany know all too well the headaches that are involved when getting chemo weekly. Not only is the process long in most cases, but it’s also ruinous on the veins...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Challenge Accepted: Reluctantly Living with Chronic Myeloid LeukemiaSomething happened today at physical therapy that, to be frank, pissed me off. To provide context, about two years ago, I began therapy on my foot for a badly torn...Reactions0reactionsComments11 comments
My Long and Winding Road to DiagnosisI was born in May of 1970, the same month that the Beatles released “The Long and Winding Road.” 50 years later, as I reflect on the years preceding my...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
A Cancer JourneyIt all began with a misdiagnosis by an emergency room doctor at 4 AM who announced that the pain radiating from my chest to my back was the result of...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Don't 'Should' On YourselfWe are all faced with things that come up in our lives. Some are fun and some are unpleasant. Many times these are things we feel we need to do...Reactions0reactionsComments14 comments
All I Really Needed to Know I Learned from Will RogersYears ago, I was watching the television show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The question came up, "Who said, 'I never met a man I didn't like?'" The contestant...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
How to Make the Most of Your Oncology/Hematology VisitIt’s almost time for my visit with my oncologist/hematologist, who specializes in chronic myeloid leukemia. I’ve had this rare form of blood cancer for nearly six years. When my counts...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Alternative vs. ChemotherapyLife with multiple myeloma is less complicated than what it was a decade ago, in regards to which conventional medicine to take. The options of drugs were limited; one drug...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Discussing Fatigue With Your Physician and Strategies To Keep MotivatedFeeling physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted even though getting enough rest and sleep is something that I experienced after receiving chemotherapy for my non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The term used by the...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
The Gift of Watchful Waiting“Cwoh-wing.” That was how my son said “clothing” when he was very small. One Christmas before a large family gathering, when he was not quite four years old, we had...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Cancer and Relationships and Their "BFF"Dating. Relationships. Finding the one. Sometimes I think it’s as hard as having cancer. I know that’s going to be a controversial statement to some but before you get all...Reactions0reactionsComments11 comments
World Cancer Day 2021: What We Wish Others KnewOver the years, we have had countless conversations in our community about what we wish people knew about life with cancer. We have talked about the things others so often...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Looking for the Good in Bone Marrow BiopsiesYou wouldn’t think a person who’s had multiple bone marrow biopsies would have many good things to say about them except that they are the gold standard of diagnostic tools...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Decisions, DecisionsHi. My name is Matt. I’m a Libra. I’m a multiple myeloma patient. I like the Minnesota Vikings, dogs, hiking, swimming pools, and a good cold beer. Being a Libra...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
How Technology Brings Both Convenience and Confusion: Results of the Connected Health SurveySometimes, it feels like we are surrounded by technology. Apps, devices, trackers, and gadgets are everywhere! In this digital age, though, everyone has a different level of comfort using technology...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Medical PTSD In People With CancerFor many people, cancer is the worst fear of all. Often, just the word cancer leads people to imagine hair loss, chemotherapy, nausea, and other physical symptoms. However, the physical...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Can Cancer Crush Dreams?Can cancer crush dreams? Well, that may all depend on what your goals and dreams were before getting the news of blood cancer. How was life in general? What was...Reactions0reactionsComments15 comments
American Cancer Society Releases 2021 Report on CancerThe American Cancer Society (ACS) has released its 2021 report on cancer, called Cancer Facts and Figures 2021. The data in this report is 2 to 4 years behind the...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Cancer or Not, An Attitude of GratitudeI read a story about heaven that showed hundreds of angels busily working in an office processing thousands of prayer requests from Earth. The angel guide showed the visitor to another...Reactions0reactionsComments16 comments