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...reactions2comments
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...reactions4comments
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...reactions4comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions4comments
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...reactions2comments
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. ...reactions10comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions5comments
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...reactions1comment
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions14comments
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...reactions4comments
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...reactions7comments
Left of NormalYesterday I just shut down. I was grumpy. No matter what happened around me, it all seemed gloomily annoying. Somehow I managed to keep my mouth shut and avoid snapping...reactions13comments
Defying the Odds: Robin Surprises Doctors with ResilienceEditor's note: Susan Gonsalves interviewed her friend, Robin, after meeting at a CML support group. Robin shared photos of herself that are inserted within the article, including a photo while...reactions6comments
Putting Ourselves First: Diet & ExerciseWhen my 25-year-old daughter, Crystal, went for her first doctor’s appointment, she was told her cancer had nothing to do with anything she did. The doctor also told her about...reactions2comments
My Cancer Was a Wake Up CallWhile I enjoyed a terrific life before my blood cancer diagnosis, I have now realized that some additional positive things have become part of my daily life as a cancer...reactions8comments
After Leukemia, Dealing with Skin CancerHeading to my checkup the other day at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, I went up to the eighth floor, the one clearly marked for leukemia. So it might sound odd...reactions8comments