Yesterday was a rainy Sunday in Georgia – the kind of day that’s perfect for an afternoon nap, or a movie marathon.  For me, it was a very rare day, one with nothing on my agenda.  So, it was a great time for puttering around the house.

In attempting to clean my home office, which honestly is approaching the type of chaos seen on “Hoarders,” I came across many multiple myeloma articles and other cancer-related clippings gathered since my sister Deana’s myeloma diagnosis 14 months ago.  For the moment, I am putting these clippings in one large stack – to be reviewed and culled down later.

I hadn’t realized that my mind needed a bit of a break from the research and daily mental stress, but in giving each of these papers a quick glance, I felt some relief from the notion that these could indeed wait for another day.

Lest any of you fear that I have abandoned my work of raising myeloma awareness, fret not.  I have begun my training for the Marine Corps Marathon and will soon start inundating family, friends, and others with my messages about supporting multiple myeloma research.

Yesterday morning, I video chatted with Deana, which I must declare is one of the greatest inventions of the last several years.  It is terrific to be able to see her, not just hear her.

She looks fantastic!  Her hair continues to grow, and she has it styled in an adorable pixie cut.

She sounds good too, despite fighting a bit of a cold she picked up while on a trip with several other families last weekend.   Of course, though, I barely let her say that she had a cold before I inquired as to whether she had called the doctor and was taking Cipro (ciprofloxacin) to fight the infection.  (Yes to both.)

It has been a month since I visited Deana in Pittsburgh, and it will be another month before we meet up in Washington, D.C., while I am there for a conference.  I remain very thankful that we have so many opportunities to spend time together.

Thankful also characterizes my feelings over the last month.  Deana remains in remission.  She has not had a doctor’s appointment.  Last Monday, she had the blood work needed to get her next supply of Revlimid (lenalidomide).   That’s the only test she’s had this month.  We are in the place we had hoped to be – such an improvement over this time last year.  Grateful.  Thankful.   These words seem inadequate, but they are the best words I have.

I think back to last May, when I was sending Deana daily cards, articles, and lucky pennies.  We were talking on the phone just about every day.   These last 30 days, we have been in touch via email just about every day, but there have been times where we haven’t spoken for a week – evidence of how our lives are settling in to the new normal.  Grateful.  Thankful.

As I sit down to write this column, I challenge myself to be mindful that there are readers who have not yet experienced the remission that we have.  It is my desire to communicate hope and inspiration, gifts that so many gave to us during the hardest part of our journey.

Last week, I was reading nominations for young University of Georgia alumni awards.  One of the nominees wrote about microwave success versus Crock Pot success, and I was struck by how perfect that analogy is for those of us living with multiple myeloma.

In our instant gratification world, we desire microwave success, that which comes quickly.  Crock Pot success obviously requires time and patience.  I’ve had tasty food come out of my microwave, but some of my favorite dishes ever are made in the Crock Pot.  It is always wonderful to come home to the smell of something delicious that has been simmering all day.

The success that Team Beat The H*ll Outta Multiple Myeloma (our family’s battle cry) has had to date is most definitely the Crock Pot variety.  And we are going to continue to savor it.

A Roman philosopher is credited with the saying “Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.”  My heart continues to be beyond grateful for the blessing of remission.