My Three Day RuleA few days ago, my son sent me a text at 2:00am. He’s in college, and I know he’s been busy with a bunch of projects that he’s working hard...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Learning to Appreciate Life with All its Ups and DownsSome days this diagnosis feels like I am sitting on death row, waiting for execution day to arrive. Every time I start a new treatment, it is as if yet...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Bittersweet: My Daughter's Coming HomeWhat do you do when your adult daughter tells you she has cancer? Right away you go into ‘mommy’ mode. At least that’s what I did. I didn’t want her...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
The Relief of a Phone CallOut of the blue in 2007 around 6 months after my diagnosis and being taken off Imatinib and waiting to go onto Dasatinib, I had IVF treatment to store my...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Fighting and Giving Into FatigueI’m not good at being tired. As I write this, I’m struggling to stay awake. I have things to do and stories to write, but I can do these things...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Long Distance Caregiving: Staying ConnectedWhen someone you love is sick, it can cause stress and anxiety. Illness, especially cancer, can take a physical and emotional toll on caregivers and family, particularly when they are...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
What to Say and Do for a Cancer PatientCancer is such an awkward topic. What do you say to someone who has just been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness? How do you talk to them? What can you...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Managing Cancer Side Effects as a CaregiverCancer itself and treatments for cancer can cause a number of symptoms and side effects that often deeply impact daily life. For caregivers, it is not uncommon to feel helpless...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Blood Cancer Anxieties: Financial StressIn this series, we discuss causes of anxiety for those facing a physical illness like blood cancer and its side effects. Phrases in quotes are the words of our community...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
The FearToday we’re going to talk about fear. Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, anyone who knows a loved one or friend who has been diagnosed, or even anyone who...Reactions0reactionsComments10 comments
From Passive By-Stander to Empowered Partner (Part 2)A diagnosis of cancer is life-changing. My family and friends insisted I seek a second opinion from a myeloma specialist, which is a doctor who only treats myeloma patients. I...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Practicing MindfulnessWhen I was originally diagnosed with lymphoma, I knew that if I was going to overcome this adversity I had to do it with mindfulness. It was not the easiest...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Port of Entry ClosedOnce my treatment plan was in place, the first step was a port-a-cath. My oncologist casually mentioned that the port procedure was scheduled. I was overwhelmed by my recent diagnosis...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
12 YearsWell, I can’t really believe it. The 19th of January marked 12 years since my diagnosis. 12 years since I got *that* phone call. 12 years since my life was never...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
What About Sex? (Part 2)Authors note: This is the second part of a two-part series. Here we discuss ways to improve the sex life of couples dealing with bloodcancer. Check out What About Sex?...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Yoga as a Supportive Strategy for Cancer PatientsAs a cancer patient receiving chemotherapy, I experienced not just the symptoms of the disease but also suffered debilitating fatigue. Taking a shower was like doing a day’s work. This...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Pushing a Positive Attitude Not Helpful to Cancer PatientsIn “Love, Medicine and Miracles,” the surgeon Bernie Siegel writes about a group of “exceptional cancer patients” whose positive attitude helped them heal. When I read it while in the...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Mine vs. YoursWho would ever think that a discussion of whose cancer is more relevant than another’s would be had, yet we see this happen many times. Did you know there were...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
My Toolbox for Managing StressNumerous stressors are faced by a cancer survivor. Add to that family discord and the result can be disastrous. I experienced this first hand when that combination factored into my...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
It's Hard to Separate from Longterm CaregiversEditor's note: This article discusses the author's experience with a friend's suicide, which may be triggering to some readers. A heartbreaking thing happened so many years ago that when I...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments