In September 2015, after three months of induction with Revlimid (lena­lidomide), Velcade (bortezomib), and dexamethasone (Decadron), my IgA heavy chain M-spike had fallen from 6.5 g/dL (65 g/L) to zero. My doctor felt that the time was right to get onto the next phase of treatment – a stem cell transplant.

I remember being apprehensive, but actually quite excited at the same time, as this procedure seemed to be the door to a real chance …

It's that holiday time of year, and I hope that all readers are planning a happy time, despite the many chal­lenges multiple myeloma can create.

Since I am now a little paranoid after my recent experiences with health issues cropping up un­expectedly and need­ing treat­ment, I am trying to get organized in ad­vance of the holidays this year. I am also trying to keep it simple by not over­doing it, and by not being a perfectionist about every­thing.

Here …

At the end of October, I traveled to Tucson, Arizona to visit and help my ailing parents. It was quite a trip, both literally and in the “trippy” sense of the word. I am still trying to organize the experiences in my mind.

Because of my multiple myeloma, these experiences hold lessons for me that are more immediate than they are for the average Joe. Most of the lessons, I feel, are relevant to other multiple myeloma patients and care­givers as well, so …

As the song says, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and I agree.

Lights are going up all over the neighborhood, and holiday decorations are making their annual appearance. Children wait anxiously to find out if they were on the naughty or nice list, and adults cozy themselves by warm fires.

Many Christmases have come and gone for me, but certain truths remain the same, and so I thought I’d share what I know about the holidays with you: …

We are in the holiday season and recently enjoyed our annual prompt to be thankful for all the joys in our life. As a multiple myeloma patient, it’s a good reminder for me to appreciate all the people that help me fight this disease.

I discovered with my diagnosis that it’s easy to become self-centered. What is happening to my body? What treatments do I need? When are my ap­point­ments? How does my health impact my schedule and obligations? For …

I am slogging through a new battlefield of treatment.

Weekly for 10 weeks, I’m receiving intravenous Darzalex (daratumumab) over a five-hour inter­val. One hour before the infusion, I take a cocktail of Tylenol (acetaminophen, paracetamol), metoclopramide, Benadryl (di­phen­hydra­mine), dexa­metha­sone, and intra­venous methyl­pred­nis­o­lone. This combination should decrease the risk of an in­fusion reac­tion. I'm told that in­fusion reac­tions are common with the first two Darzalex in­fusions. Although I suffered a scary reaction during the first in­fusion, I have not …

I had a sneaking suspicion that Thanksgiving 2008 wasn’t going to be an ordinary holiday. Unfortunately, I was right.

For starters, our long-held Thanksgiving plans had changed dramatically. Instead of taking a traditional over-the-river and through-the-woods trip north to visit relatives in Chicago, we ended up driving south to spend the holiday with relative strangers.

And to boot, my wife Karen and I had to leave our daughters behind. How’s that for Thanksgiving spirit?

Now, it’s not that we don’t …