My topic for this column came to me during my son’s recent birthday party. Because I was still suffering from the effects of a recently contracted RSV virus, I kept apart from everyone and watched the activities going on in the kitchen and dining room from afar in “my chair” in the living room.

As we celebrated his 19^th birthday, I couldn’t help but wonder how my condition has impacted him and whether I have done the best I could in helping him and his older sister deal with the fact that …

In many of my previous columns, I have stipulated that I am very fortunate with what I have experienced so far with multiple myeloma.

My condition is far less serious than that of most of the other Beacon columnists and probably the vast majority of my readers. Every form of treatment I have re­ceived so far – radiation, induction therapy, and autol­o­gous stem cell trans­plan­ta­tion – has been suc­cess­ful. Modern medicine had done its part for me.

Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that I have not done my part to …

I have never been one to make New Year’s resolutions. That may be due to the fact that I am an educator and that my life has centered around the school year, which runs from to August to June. As a result, my goals have usually been based on that calendar.

But, because multiple myeloma pretty much controlled and dominated every part of my life in 2014, I have resolved to do a number of things differently in 2015.

First, I am going to quit being a myeloma hypochondriac. I am approach­ing …

One thing that has enabled me to maintain a positive attitude while battling multiple myeloma is the realization that, no matter how difficult things become for me, there are others who are fighting far tougher battles than I am. I am in­spired by their courage and resiliency.

Little did I know that I would get that inspiration from my immediate and extended family. I was reminded of this when a large post card arrived in the mail the other day.

Half of one side of the card showed a picture of a …

I consider myself an optimist. I always see the glass half full rather than half empty. This approach has served me well since my multiple mye­lo­ma diagnosis two and a half years ago.

However, while awaiting the blood test results of my regular check-ups, I turn into a pessimist. I expect the worst, and I mentally prepare myself for the worst possible news. I have no explanation for this change in attitude that I go through every three months.

In addition, a sense of paranoia overcomes me on the days leading up …

One of my responsibilities as a school superintendent is to check the roads during inclement weather to determine whether school should be delayed or closed.

During a recent early-morning road check through thick, patchy fog, I couldn't help but think that making decisions about delaying or closing school due to fog is similar to living a life with multiple myeloma.

The arrival of fog is often completely unexpected and, unlike with snow and ice storms, I rarely receive a weather warning about approaching fog.

Similarly, many of us had never heard of …

The passing of Arnie Goodman and Stephen Kramer, two men who I only knew from their writings at The Beacon, impacted me in a way that I never would have thought possible.

I struggled to explain to my 18-year old son why I felt such a loss as a re­sult of two men I didn't know personally. It wasn't until I began writing this column that I realized why.

Both men had a purpose-driven life with multiple myeloma. They im­pacted others through their writings and other activities related to mul­ti­ple …