Do you remember reading about or watching the video of Randy Pausch a few years back?  He’s the dynamic Carnegie Mellon professor who became famous after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — and then gave an incredible lecture, “The Last Lecture,” about his impending death.  A video of his talk went viral — before viral was even cool.

Randy lived and died with such grace that it is easy to forget that he had a wife and caregiver, Jai, who stood by his side until the very end.

Like most …

In keeping with my "war-against-cancer" theme, I thought I'd touch on the topic of unsung heroes this month.

I had originally planned a different topic for this month’s column, but after reading Nancy D’s comment regarding not having a strong support group (in a reply to Nancy S’s recent column), I began reflecting on the people that support me.

Every war has its unsung heroes, those individuals that work behind the lines making sure the war runs smoothly but rarely getting the attention that those actually fighting the battle get.

These are …

My wife, Pattie, is an excellent caregiver.  A three-time cancer survivor herself, Pattie knows what it feels like to battle cancer.  That experience helps her understand what I am going through.

We were recently forced to face the reality of my first relapse.  After four years of Revlimid helping keep my multiple myeloma at bay, we learned two months ago that the myeloma is back and active.

Even if I’m not feeling well—or Pattie is tired after work—we always try to get out for an evening walk with our rescued dog, Finnegan. …

One of the things I think I know is that multiple myeloma is often harder on caregivers than it is on the person with the disease.

To some, that may seem counter-intuitive. You’d probably consider that the person with the disease is the one confronting the harder road to travel on, but I believe such a perspective ignores the turmoil, the emotional roller-coaster. and the uncertainty that caregivers face.

I don’t mean to diminish the impact of what becomes an endless life-and-death battle with disease for those with myeloma. I do think, …

This article is the third in a three-part series about caring for a loved one with multiple myeloma. The first article provides an introduction to caring for a cancer patient as well as resources for caregivers. The second article provides practical tips for caregivers, and the third article explains the tolls of being a caregiver.

When Nan Manzo’s husband Dom was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2008, their family doctor shared some advice about how to deal with the ups and downs of dealing with cancer. “Ants will show up at this …

This article is the second in a three-part series about caring for a loved one with multiple myeloma. The first article provides an introduction to caring for a cancer patient as well as resources for caregivers. The second article provides practical tips for caregivers, and the third article will explain the tolls of being a caregiver.

When Lori Puente’s husband Dave was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2008, she decided that she would need to take time off from work and her activities in order to give Dave the best care possible. …

This article is the first in a three-part series about caring for a loved one with multiple myeloma. The first article provides an introduction to caring for a cancer patient as well as resources for caregivers. The second article will provide practical tips for caregivers, and the third article will explain the tolls of being a caregiver.

In October 2008, Dianna Allred’s husband, Mark, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma after suffering a severe spine fracture.

As Mark’s pain increased dramatically after the fracture, Dianna took action. “I called the doctor and told …