Articles

Navigating life with blood cancer can be challenging, especially when you have other co-occurring (also sometimes called comorbid) conditions. Some of these conditions may include issues like hypertension, arthritis, or...

Diagnosing cancer can be a long and unforgiving journey, and for me, it was lengthier than most.  I had a three-month adventure that took me winding through a Candyland map...

I am a self-proclaimed science geek.  I love learning about all things related to science. Prior to my cancer-induced retirement, I was a fifth-grade science and math teacher. I adored...

When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, I had never heard of it.  As the doctor gave me the diagnosis, all I heard was incurable, broken bones, blood cancer and...

Once you are diagnosed with blood cancer, you will likely to need to go through a series of tests to make sure that your body can withstand the harsh chemicals...

After a wonderful time at the shore on vacation, I pondered the recent events that occurred in my life. Over the last few weeks, a new nephew was born, my...

When I was first diagnosed, I was hit with a whole range of emotions.  Like a giant wave, I was taken over by anger, depression, fear, shock and even relief...

Having a diagnosis of blood cancer, makes one begin to question priorities, life choices and future actions. What do I want to accomplish as a cancer survivor? I recently found...

When I first received the news that I had leukemia I didn’t want to tell anyone. I told my family of course, but not my friends. I was worried they...

‘Tis the season to be jolly. You hear it everywhere. You’re supposed to be jolly, because the song says it’s the season for it. You’re supposed to buy the perfect...

2 week’s later and I’m still paying for having a weekend full of fun. Even though I’ve had multiple 10 hour sleeps and a 13-hour sleep. It’s ridiculous. I'm functioning...

When I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, I knew that it was a life-changing diagnosis. The word cancer strikes fear into your heart like nothing else. The thing I didn’t...

A recent study has shown that the cost of treating blood cancers can be more costly than treating other solid tumor cancers. A study commissioned by the Leukemia and Lymphoma...

So, if you read my earlier posts, I promised you the story of the naked hospital roommate. People have been asking since then for me to tell it, and I feel...

I can remember wondering how I would ever manage to celebrate the holidays while experiencing the debilitating fatigue during chemotherapy. My last chemotherapy was in November and I was still...

A living will is known by several other names, including advanced directive, healthcare declaration, medical directive, and many more. There is often confusion about what these words mean and why...

I was so excited to turn 25 years old. I was about to move across the country to start a new job that I was so excited about. This would...

One of the things I hear most from people who have blood cancers (and probably all cancer) is that they can’t do as much as they used to.  It’s a...

After I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2009, I watched my white blood cell and lymphocyte counts quickly climb. But in mid-2013 they began to plateau. They continue...

Financial distress or financial toxicity is a term used to describe the financial problems experienced by cancer patients because of the out of pocket expenses not covered by health insurance...