Role Reversal: After My Cancer, Becoming a CaregiverLast fall, I found myself as both a cancer survivor of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and caregiver. My husband became critically ill and was hospitalized for over six weeks in an acute...reactionscomments
MGUS and the Multiple Myeloma ConnectionMonoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a medical condition characterized by increased levels of M protein in the blood. M (monoclonal) protein, also called a paraprotein, is produced by...reactions10comments
Dating After CancerI think we can all agree that dating can be tough, but dating after cancer is on a completely different level. Going through chemotherapy at 25 years old left me...reactionscomments
Fertility, Fatigue, and Figuring Out the Right Treatment RegimenAfter graduating from Edinburgh and leaving consultant number 1 behind (very happily!), I came under the care of consultant number 2 in London who was also pretty awful. To begin...reactionscomments
Deciding if a Support Group is Right for YouCancer patients often experience significant distress and can have a reduced quality of life. Cancer support groups involve the provision of emotional support informally or through structured intervention. The group...reactionscomments
After Transplant, Missing, Then Savoring, StrawberriesStrawberry season in Massachusetts – late June to early July – makes me think of the times after transplant when I couldn’t eat this sweet fruit with the sunshiny, summery...reactions2comments
Not Always a Placebo! Types of Clinical TrialsWhen many people think of clinical trials, they may think of testing a new experimental drug or taking a placebo pill. But, not all clinical trials involve treatment! Even among...reactionscomments
Happiness...That Fickle Thing of MineHappiness. That thing that we crave and look for. It’s there and then in a heartbeat, it’s gone. I often ‘lose my happy’. I took this line from one of...reactionscomments
Waldenstrom MacroglobulinemiaA type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is when the cancer cells in the lymphocytes—immune system cells that help the body fight disease—start to produce large amounts of...reactionscomments
Differences in Blood Cancer ExperienceIn our 2018 Blood Cancer In America survey, over 2,500 people impacted by blood cancer shared their experiences about diagnosis, treatment, and living with blood cancer. Blood cancer is an...reactions1comment
Managing My Compromised Immune SystemCancer patients may be susceptible to infections from their disease and from the treatment, which can destroy white blood cells (WBC). Our immune system is designed to recognize and destroy...reactions12comments
Saying No to a Clinical TrialThe first week was spent in hospital – I don’t remember all that much. I remember my drip who I named George beeped a lot. (Typical man needing constant attention….)...reactionscomments
Surviving SurvivorshipEverything about cancer sucks, we all know that. I wasn’t unusually surprised by how hard cancer treatment was, but I was shocked at how hard life after cancer is. I...reactions1comment
It's OK to Have a Bad DayThe best advice I ever got from another cancer patient was this: It’s OK to have a bad day. As cancer patients, we all have those days. Our minds can...reactions10comments
To Share or Not to Share? Patients Figure it OutHow much do you want to tell about your cancer, and to whom, and in which situations do you want to tell it? The answer can range from telling nothing...reactions1comment
Managing Skeletal-Related Events in Multiple Myeloma PatientsMultiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell found in the bone marrow and are part of the immune system...reactionscomments
Techniques to Help Ease the Worry of WaitingWhether you’re new to blood cancer land or you’ve been around for a while, chances are you’re going to be in some situation where you expect the worst. That is...reactions3comments
The Benefits of Leaving the HouseGetting out of the house on most days of the week may help older adults live longer according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society...reactions6comments
My Chemo BrainI didn’t really like this phrase to begin with. I didn’t really get it. That’s probably why. But the longer I am on treatment the more it becomes apparent. Chemo brain...reactions7comments
This is SurvivorshipHey everyone, Sierra here - wanted to flush out a bit more of my experience before this really takes off. With my field hockey teammates (far right) pre-diagnosis. Currently playing:...reactionscomments