Life is full of choices and decisions. For those of us afflicted with multiple myeloma, we are forced to make decisions that, prior to our diagnosis, we never imagined we would have to make. Is a second opinion necessary? Do I watch and wait or start treatment immediately? Undergo a stem cell trans­plant or even a tandem trans­plant? Pursue main­te­nance therapy or go treatment-free until relapse?

Unfortunately, these decisions are guided by the necessity of treating an in­cur­able disease. They really have nothing to do with the important parts of our life, …

During a recent conversation I had with a friend, he un­ex­pected­ly asked me what has been the worst part of having multiple myeloma. For­tu­nate­ly, his cell phone rang before I could answer the ques­tion. It saved me from giv­ing an answer to a ques­tion I have never given much thought to.

At various times since then, I have reflected on what has been the worst aspect of living with multiple myeloma.

While I consider myself a reflective person, think­ing back on past ex­per­i­ences of living with this disease is some­thing I have …

On the day this June that marked the one-year anniversary of my autol­o­gous stem cell transplant, Relay For Life, the fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, held a local event on our school campus. This is the fourth year that the event has been held on the campus of the school district for which I am super­intendent. I made a point of checking in with the organizers daily in the days leading up to the event to make sure that they had everything they needed to stage another successful relay.

As I …

A recent event gave me food for thought.

I started writing this column exactly one year from the date I was ad­mitted to under­go an autol­o­gous stem cell trans­plant. Coinci­dentally, my latest three-month check-up occurred on that very same day. I have not been one who believes that a new life begins with a transplant, replete with the cele­bra­tion of new birth­days, so I have not made a big deal of this one-year anni­ver­sary.

However, the fact that it often takes up to a year (or longer) to determine a …

Perhaps the biggest question someone who has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma faces is: Quality of life, or longevity?

As I reflect back on the three years since my diagnosis, I realize this question has factored into almost every decision I have made in dealing with the disease.

When my doctor recommended the “watch and wait” approach shortly after my diagnosis, the quality of life factor outweighed any benefits that might have been obtained by starting induction therapy in the early stages of the disease, even though my myeloma numbers justified treatment. …

In my March column, I wrote about start­ing a new chapter in my multiple myeloma book – maintenance therapy.

I started out with 10 mg of Revlimid (lenalidomide) per day in a 21-day cycle, without dexa­metha­sone (Decadron). I very much welcomed the elimination of dexa­metha­sone, as I experienced wild mood swings and serious insomnia during induction therapy. The fact that the neurop­athy I suffered from Revlimid during in­duction therapy (15 mg per day, 21-day cycle) was toler­able made me opti­mistic that good things were in store for …

There are several analogies that are used to describe our ex­peri­ences liv­ing with multiple myeloma. The most common appear to be a battle, a jour­ney, or chap­ters in a book.

The analogy that currently resonates the most with me is the one of chap­ters in a book.

The titles of each chapter of my multiple myeloma book are pretty obvious: Diag­nosis, Radi­a­tion Treat­ment, Watch and Wait, Induction Ther­apy, and Autol­o­gous Stem Cell Trans­plant. The next chapter of my book will be entitled ‘Maintenance Therapy.’

In this column, I would like to share …