For Goodness' Sake, Wash Your Hands!I think blood cancer is making me anxious or maybe it's this coronavirus. Darn! Why didn't I buy stock in a hand sanitizer company? I knew a lady who attended...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
What I've Learned About CancerCancer is a horrible and scary disease. No one wants to ever hear the words, "You've got cancer.” However, I believe that we can think of it as a positive...Reactions0reactionsComments11 comments
Life and the Pursuit of LivingIn my lifetime, I’ve known of six people who’ve committed suicide. Three I knew personally. None of them had cancer. Some would say they were selfish and only thinking of...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Healthcare Obstacles & the LGBTQ+ CommunityEditor’s Note: LGBTQ+ stands for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. To learn more about gender identity, check out the interactive website The Genderbread Person. Have...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
COVID-19: Tips To Reduce Your RiskWith all of the news circulating about the novel (new) coronavirus, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or anxious. This is especially true if you are immune-compromised due to...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Needing Downtime but Hating ItI know I am my own worst enemy. Because I am mental in so many ways. I know I need to rest over the weekends and just sit on the sofa and...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
COVID-19: Basics for the Immune-CompromisedFor those living with chronic health conditions, current news about the coronavirus (COVID-19) can be anxiety-inducing. We have questions and concerns about how the virus is transmitted, how it can...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Fumble!!!I can admit it. A great athlete I am not. And that is not just due to the fact that I am quite rapidly (and rather disturbingly) approaching fifty. This...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Forgiving... Even When It's The Last Thing I Want To Do“The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest.” Have you ever seen this quote? Here’s the thing...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
My Blood Cancer Symptoms and TreatmentAs I celebrate my five years of remission from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, I thought about my initial diagnosis. I had just finished with the best summer of my life, enjoying the...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Four-Letter WordsI’ve been saying a lot of four-letter words lately. I can’t help myself. I didn’t used to be like this. In fact, it didn’t really happen all that much until...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Look Good, Feel Better!My mother and I were eating lunch at Taco Bell recently when a young lady approached us and said, "Hi, ladies. I need to buy some clothes for my great-aunt. ...Reactions0reactionsComments10 comments
When It's OK to Use the Word 'Lucky'Nobody should say you’re lucky to get cancer, but luck is a matter of degree. For example, an acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient like myself is lucky compared to one...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Living With Blood Cancer: a Podcast Interview with Cindy ChmielewskiCindy Chmielewski has been living with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, since 2008. She goes by the handle “Myeloma Teacher” online, sharing information about the disease, research updates...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Chill Time: Making Myself Rest When I Need ItIt would appear that since being on the new drug and feeling so much better that I’m really resisting chill time on the weekend. This is so stupid because I’m...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Blood Cancer as a Second CancerAs doctors have more ways to successfully treat cancer, they’ve also found that some cancer survivors are more likely than the general population to develop what is known as a...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Myeloma Action Month #IAMRESILIENT2020Join us in helping the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) build a global Wall of Resilience this March during Myeloma Action Month. Share a photo and a short story on Facebook...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
My Chemo Routine & the Darn ElevatorsThose of us who have had the unbridled pleasure of going through chemo know that after the first session or two, you develop a routine. Just like making your favorite...Reactions0reactionsComments14 comments
Lessons Learned from the Super BowlI haven’t always been a football fan. I only started appreciating the sport later in life for keeping me company as I spent every fall Sunday grading papers and writing...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Do You Have a Cancer Survivorship Checklist?A survey was done by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) to explore the experiences and needs of cancer survivor patients. The online survey of over thirteen hundred cancer...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments