From Fearful to FerociousI was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2011. I can honestly say that at that time, the fear of this disease rendered me speechless. My family doctor gave me...reactions2comments
Quality Of Life?I have been a leukemia patient since 2011. I had lost quite a bit of weight, and stomach issues only made it worse. Dehydration and a trip to the urgent...reactionscomments
Coping When Myeloma Keeps Letting You Know It’s ThereAs every patient can tell you, coping with a cancer diagnosis isn’t easy. In fact, for me, trying to cope with cancer to get my head around my initial blood...reactions5comments
Treating Blood Cancer: Don't Go on a Snipe Hunt!When I was fourteen, I attended a weekend church retreat with other girls my age. Some of the older kids encouraged us to go on a snipe hunt. They left...reactions2comments
Intimacy And Blood CancerHearing the words “you have blood cancer” sent chills up and down my spine. Soon after that, the same cold chill impacted every facet of my future life, including any...reactionscomments
Fear RigidityI don’t know anyone with a cancer diagnosis that doesn’t experience fear, crippling doubt, and ample amounts of anxiety. I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2011. I’ve only...reactions5comments
Memory InsecurityMy memory has always been great….well, okay, my long-term memory. I can't remember the short term, ironically. But anyway, it's definitely gotten worse since having blood cancer. When I started...reactions16comments
Blood Cancer BreakdownI was relaxing in the sunroom one morning reading when the phone rang. The caller, on that occasion, turned out to be that all-too-familiar automated voice asking for confirmation on...reactionscomments
Dealing With the Inevitable Unpredictability Of CancerI’ve been thinking a lot lately about what comes next. It’s a pretty big subject when you live with a blood cancer or any of the chronic cancers, really. What’s...reactionscomments
Bills, Bills, Bills ~Destiny ChildBills, bills, and bills uuuggghhhh!!!! That's the song that has been running through my head today. You may have heard it before chemotherapy does not just take the bad cells...reactionscomments
Working With Cancer & How Employers Play GamesLately, I have been seeing talk about working with cancer. It’s something more than a few of us try to do, and for some of us it’s a must-do in...reactions2comments
We Are Not Our DiseaseI have been looking for a condo for a couple of years. I’m an empty nester, divorced, and living alone in a house that is too big for me. Part...reactions1comment
Advocate to Advocate LiveI was chosen again to attend HealtheVoices conference. What makes this particular conference unique is the safe meeting place for a wide range of patient leaders/advocates. Most times, a lot...reactions2comments
Learning When Baby Steps are Enough With CMLHaving blood cancer, sometimes I feel like my movements are stifled by quicksand. There are ups and downs in life for everyone. But trudging through nine years with chronic myeloid...reactions5comments
Being a Caregiver Can Be ToughTaking care of someone is always difficult. Of course the amount of difficulty depends on the ability of the recipient, but no matter what, it still takes a toll on...reactions2comments
5 Questions on Daily Challenges, Support, and WellnessLiving with blood cancer presents a unique set of challenges. From managing medication regimens to navigating emotional support, individuals with blood cancer face daily hurdles that impact their quality of...reactionscomments
An Honest Account of FeelingsI’ve been really noticing my feelings lately. And as I look back on the last 17 years since I was first diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia, I realize that I...reactionscomments
Spleen ThereI was diagnosed with leukemia in 2011. There were a few symptoms that my doctor had followed up on. Many of the symptoms were pretty vague and persistent. The one...reactions4comments
From Cancer Coming A-Calling to Cancer Becoming a CallingWhen cancer first came calling, I wasn’t quite sure how to react or respond. It took a few months, but now I am proud to say my cancer has become...reactionscomments
Gaining Control of Blood-CancerOne of the more stressful discoveries surrounding my encounter with blood cancer, aside from the initial shock, treatment protocols, and the physical/emotional reactions to chemotherapy, was an awareness of a...reactionscomments