I have always been fascinated and inspired by stories of courage through adversity. In that vein, an event took place during a week in late May that gave me great pause to reflect upon how I deal with the reality of living with multiple myeloma.

On May 22, a monstrous tornado, 3/4 of a mile wide, 13.8 miles long, and packing winds in excess of 200 miles per hour, descended upon Joplin, Missouri, a town just an hour to the …

As this year’s Mother’s Day drew near, my thoughts turned to­ward the two ‘mothers’ who have had a major influence on the way I have ap­proached my battle with multiple myeloma: my mother, Eva, and the mother of my chil­dren, Karen.

After years of dealing with an array of perplexing symp­toms initially, and incorrectly, attributed to arthritis, my mom, while in her mid 40s, was diag­nosed with multiple sclerosis. We myeloma patients know all about tricky diagnoses.

In a …

I love it when a well-laid plan comes together and I can thumb my nose at that dastardly myeloma, yet again!

My wife, a busy teacher, our two energetic school-aged daughters, and I were excitedly planning our mid-March Spring Break vacation.

At the same time, I had been trying to schedule my next quarterly multiple myeloma check-up, but because of other obligations and a full patient load at the treatment center, the only time available to squeeze me …

I recently enjoyed having an early morning breakfast with a good friend and fellow multiple myeloma patient. Like me, he was diagnosed in his late 40s, has young children, has a challenging career, and is currently in remission.

He half-jokingly shared that while the doctors have gotten his cancer into remission, he can’t quite figure out how to make myeloma fit in with the rest of his life.

“Sean, do you honestly think that it’s possible to be happy and …

Her eyes twinkled at me through the slit below her bright green stocking cap and above the powder blue mask that covered her nose and mouth. She was tiny compared to the waiting room chair. Her feet didn’t quite reach the floor, and I noticed that her tennis shoes had a fuzzy green ball on the laces that matched her stocking cap in both color and whimsy.

I had arrived at the clinic without an appointment and checked in at …

Happy New Year!

As the hustle and bustle of the holiday season fades away in the rear-view mirror, I find myself entering the third year of my journey living with a diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

And as with many things in life, I have learned as much about what NOT to do, as what to do. Sometimes the lessons haven’t been easy.

Therefore, in 2011, I hereby resolve:

1. To stop referring to my pain medication as ‘Oxy-cotton-candy’. …

Hello, multiple myeloma friends!

I know that some of you Northern Hemisphere dwellers are getting hit hard with cold temperatures and a snowy, icy mix right about now. While I hope that you are safely weathering the deep freeze, I have to admit, without shame, that I am a Fall Guy. And sorry Mr. Shakespeare, I suffer no discontent in winter.

Now while some folks like to bask in the fun-in-the-sun days of summer and others are jazzed by the …