Starting the Tough ConversationsI have lived with, fought, and often beaten back multiple myeloma for going on seven years now. Mine has presented itself as very stubborn and, with 15 lines of treatment...reactions3comments
Writing to Cope with CancerHearing the words, "You have cancer," is like getting a punch in the gut. Your feelings can go from shock to disbelief, anger, and even depression. What can you do...reactions3comments
Cancer On Board Is 2My little cancer charity, Cancer On Board, is now 2. Well, it’s been 2 years since we got official charitable status and I can’t really believe it! It’s amazing and...reactions4comments
Let's Talk About SexLet’s talk about sex. It is a taboo topic, but many cancer patients and survivors experience issues with their sex life before, during, or after treatments. For those who are...reactions2comments
I Don't Want to Know My NumbersI recently got an email from another follicular lymphoma patient. That happens a lot. I’ve kept a blog about FL for over 11 years. Lots of other patients have found...reactions4comments
Sharing Cancer on My Work Social MediaI was recently featured in the first article of a series in the online version of a UK paper. To begin with, I was a bit irritated that I wouldn’t...reactions5comments
Scribbles Shine Light on Year After TransplantYou might think your junk drawer is full of, well, junk, but its contents can actually be worth a lot. It was in my junk shelf – for papers that...reactions3comments
Blood Cancer TriviaBy sharing my journey with blood cancer online, I have had the privilege to engage multiple other patients online. A little over a year and a half ago, I had...reactions6comments
Funny Thing Happened At...I had the honor of attending the Janssen-sponsored 2019 HealtheVoices conference, which is the all that be of the advocacy conferences with amazing patient advocates from across the country. I...reactions5comments
Conversations with a Chaplain: A Chaplain’s Role in Supportive CareRev. Isaac Dusenbury is a chaplain at Duke University Hospital. He completed his chaplain residency at Duke University Hospital’s Surgical and Intensive Care Unit and graduated from the Divinity School...reactions3comments
Reinventing Yourself After CancerWhen you are in the throes of chemo, the real heart of cancer and its treatment, it consumes you. Mentally, physically and spiritually, all your energy is focused upon besting...reactions17comments
Exercise Gives Structure to Hospital StayBack when I was running a lot, I often vowed to work on my neglected upper body strength. That meant recommitting myself to going to exercise classes, doing planks, or...reactions4comments
Financial Planning for Cancer PatientsA cancer patient must be focused on healing and fighting their disease. However, due to spiraling medical expenses, especially drug costs, many cancer patients may worry about paying for expenses...reactions1comment
QuietusI once heard of a man who had cancer and was given only a short time to live. His family didn’t talk about it. Even he didn’t know what to...reactions8comments
Chemo Bags: My Way of Giving BackBefore every chemotherapy appointment, I packed a tote bag full of things that I found comforting or useful. Once I finished chemo, I started to make bags for other cancer...reactions2comments
What Is Polycythemia Vera?Polycythemia vera is a type of blood cancer called myeloproliferative neoplasm, or MPN. In polycythemia vera, the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells. In many cases, people with...reactions18comments
Having the Right DoctorGetting the right doctor is one of the most important things you could do for your health. Everyone suggests you get a second opinion, and while it is a pain...reactions1comment
Just Another Long Term Side Effect: HypothyroidismChemo: The gift that keeps on giving, am I right?! The “new normal” we experience with cancer is not just learning how to navigate our lives personally and socially, but...reactions1comment
Setting a GoalMy mother died from lung cancer, my daughter got Hodgkin lymphoma at 25, and I too am a cancer patient. I have and am living with stage four thyroid cancer...reactionscomments
Multiple Transplants, Many ReactionsWhen people hear that I had four bone marrow transplants, their reactions fall into three categories summarized like so: To back up, a few people have said that my first...reactions1comment