On a morning walk recently, I was impressed by the brilliant blue sky and happy to see more people and their dogs out walking than there were in the really cold weather. Overhead, magpies were gathering twigs to build nests, Canada geese were honking as they look for nesting sites near the river, and woodpeckers were drumming into trees, power poles, and even roofs of houses. Snow geese have been seen flying north, and a porcu­pine was spotted walking on our street. It finally is springtime here in the foot­hills of the …

We are seeing the first signs of spring here at the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, and somehow the change in seasons reminded me that I haven't taken any multiple myeloma treatments for six months now. I was going through treatments for breast cancer last fall, and my oncologist therefore thought it would be helpful to give me a break from my myeloma treat­ments during that time.

Fortunately, everything has worked out well thus far. The breast cancer was caught early, and there was no sign of it having gotten into the …

We are having a real winter this year, and right now there is a lot of snow every­where. It is very pretty and fun to walk around in, but has caused problems with traffic and meant that my husband is doing lots of shoveling. I used to shovel the walks, but had to give that up after my multiple myeloma diagnosis in 2009. I used to like gardening too, but nowadays I can only do light weeding, planting, and watering (no mowing or digging). As much as I enjoyed doing outdoor home …

It has been a bitter cold winter here since December. Tem­per­a­tures of -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) have occurred on many days. I have been trudging up a steep hill to the cancer center, though, bundled up in a long down-filled coat, tall boots, down mitts, a scarf, and a knitted hat!

I also am still doing my regular walks, both to see the beauty of nature, and to stay fit while going through the 20 radia­tion treat­ments for the breast cancer I was diagnosed with last summer during treat­ment …

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 are a few ideas and tips that may make your holiday season …

It is gray and windy here, and the sun rises late. The weather nevertheless is still fine for me to go on walks, sometimes accompanied by my grandpuppy. I have had lots to mull over on these walks the past month, since much has happened to me medically speaking.

As you may remember from my last column, I was diagnosed with ductal car­ci­noma in situ (DCIS) that required surgery. My choices were either breast-conserving surgery plus radiation, or a total mastectomy on one side. Since the first option is said to …

It is autumn here now and the brilliant golds, reds, and greens combine together for the showiest nature display of the year! The sunrises are gold against the charcoal sky, and the prairie hares are changing their fur color from tawny to whitish in preparation for winter snowfalls.

Rather than spending time outside enjoying the beautiful autumn weather, I am preoccupied with a new wrinkle in my health that may or may not be related to my multiple myeloma: a secondary cancer. It has been caught early, and I am hope­ful that …