Having the Right Doctor...Getting 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: Hypothyroidism...Chemo: 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 Goal...My 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
The Wave...I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on February 21, 2019. As I sat there in the treatment room alone; for my oncologist/hematologist had just dropped this on me: I remember...reactions10comments
Multiple Transplants, Many Reactions...When 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
Understanding Marginal Zone Lymphoma...Marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) is a slow-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), or blood cancer. Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell in the immune system, has two types that...reactions1comment
A 2 Week Treatment Break...Finally...A two-week break from treatment has started!!! Which is beyond amazing. I've needed this. The exhaustion has been beyond bearable. I have been at breaking point. I have been reminded why...reactions2comments
Finding My New Niche...If you would have asked me to tell you about myself a few years ago, I would have probably started with my family. I would have told you stories about my...reactions7comments
A Family Affair: Managing the Impact of Cancer on Family...A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming for family and others in your life. It may be necessary to actively work to promote supportive relationships at this difficult time. The challenges...reactions3comments
A Roller Coaster Called Cancer...When I was kid, I liked roller coasters. I wasn’t a roller coaster nut but I was a fan. What I didn’t like were the rides that spun you upside...reactions5comments
A Persistent Cold and Fatigue Sets In...Well, it hasn’t been a great couple of weeks. After I wrote the post about still feeling good on a double dose, I noticed some things. And they aren’t great. My...reactions6comments
Beach Grass: This Community's Strong Roots...All my life I’ve been an introvert and a loner. Even in high school I didn’t belong to any clicks. I wasn’t a jock, or a nerd, or one of...reactions4comments
Honesty is the Best Policy: Dealing with Family that Can't Handle Cancer...Let me share a letter I recently wrote to a cousin who told me he would be happy to help me with an issue I had with my multiple myeloma...reactions20comments
What Is Essential Thrombocythemia?...Essential thrombocythemia is a rare blood condition that affects platelets. Platelets are blood cells that control bleeding. Essential thrombocythemia is a type of myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN). In these blood cancers...reactions1comment
Life of a Survivor...Life as a survivor for most may still include a busy day with the exception of having cancer. There we go with that word, but so many are hung up...reactions6comments
Should I Participate In a Clinical Trial?...What is a clinical trial? Does it impact the care of a cancer patient? These are the questions that puzzle many cancer patients. By participating in a clinical trial, a...reactions1comment
It Takes a Lot of Work to Ward Off Evil Spirits...On Jan. 31st, 2009, I had my fourth bone marrow transplant. Do the easy math, and you’ll see that Jan 31st, 2019, marked 10 years from that momentous date. But...reactions1comment
My Emotional Port Removal...Almost every single procedure or event related to my cancer experience was set to be emotional but this one was different. These emotions were not born from fear or anxiety...reactions9comments
Signs & Symptoms...Cancer is such a scary thing. No one wants to hear the words, "You have cancer”. Because of that, we sometimes put off going to the doctor. We feel whatever...reactions2comments
Giving Yourself A Break. And A Break....Cancer is such a monumental, life-altering experience that it can be difficult not only to get through it but to return to “normal” afterwards. Normal. It’s a word that takes...reactions16comments