I think I am a believer in “The Force.”  No, let’s say that I do believe in it.

So that raises the question: What the heck is it?

The traditional thinking is that there’s an energy force that you can tap, consciously or perhaps not, that can help you fight the “bad things” that are affecting you personally.  Maybe even to completely resist them.

Some people might refer to this as “force of will,” which I think is also a part of what The Force is all about.  I think, and from …

Last week I discussed the advantages and disadvantages of a growing number of multiple myeloma therapy options.

How could there be any disadvantages to more options?  I mentioned how even oncologists and hematologists that specialize in treating multiple myeloma will only be guessing when deciding which drugs to use, when, and at what dose.

Then I suggested how with choice comes responsibility.  Responsibility for the patient and caregiver to learn as much as they can about therapy options to understand when to start or switch to another therapy option and to …

When I was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma five and a half years ago, my initial treatment consisted of induction chemotherapy with vincristine (Oncovin), doxorubicin (Adriamycin), and dexamethasone (Decadron) followed by an autologous stem cell transplant.  I had a good response to the treatment but never quite got into remission.

The course of my disease over the next few years took me through a roller coaster of treatments with Revlimid (lenalidomide), Revlimid with dexamethasone, Velcade (bortezomib) alone, and Velcade plus Revlimid.  Each of these treatments …

I finished the Chicago Marathon yesterday. I ran it to raise awareness and money for multiple myeloma, and it was an amazing experience.

First, I must acknowledge my sister, Darrie, and niece, Kate, who are the best pit crew a girl could have. They were tremendous support, especially Kate, who fixed my iPod when it froze. For a moment, I thought I would have to spend 26.2 miles alone with my thoughts.

Throughout the race, I focused on friends and family who have been affected by cancer. I wrote a list …

My initial reaction to the question of whether there are too many therapy choices for multiple myeloma is, “What a nice problem!”

It looks like the newest myeloma therapy, carfilzomib, will be widely available to relapsed/refractory patients soon.   Pomalidomide shouldn’t be far behind, along with a half dozen new drugs that enhance the effectiveness of Revlimid (lenalidomide) and Velcade (bortezomib).

Soon, multiple myeloma patients may be treated with four-, five-, and even six-drug combinations.

This is a “nice problem,” except for several discouraging things.  At least in the …

The tiny room was spinning like an off-kilter gyroscope. I grabbed the sides of the chair with the hope that I would not fall off and further injure myself. The lights were interrogation-level bright as I closed my eyes to ward off an oncoming wave of nausea and a gnawing headache.  An unsettling buzzing near my left ear was growing in intensity as I realized that the point of no return was close at hand.

“Last chance. I don’t want to hurt you if I don’t have to. Sure you want me …

Last week I visited Wisconsin to attend the myeloma support group I had been a member of before moving to Florida almost three years ago.

My wife Pattie and I were members of the Wisconsin group for several years.  We became close friends with many of the members, and I have kept in touch with them.

It was exciting to return!  But it was also a bit “touch and go,” if you would excuse the pun.  At support groups, handshakes and hugs rule the day.

The special bond between multiple myeloma survivors …