Some of my experiences at work lately have reminded me of certain aspects of life as a multiple myeloma survivor. In both cases, decisions that can have major re­per­cussions must be made, sometimes on short notice, based on information that is at best sketchy, and at worst contra­dictory or misleading. While the details of the two cases are totally dif­fer­ent, the same sort of conundrum arises in both cases.

In multiple myeloma, a key decision that many patients face periodically is whether to continue with their current treatment or make some sort …

No snide remarks, please, in regard to the question in this column’s title. It’s a bit rhetorical – I don’t ex­pec­t a response. Instead, the question is a play on words, as you’ll shortly see.

Regular readers of my column and my postings in the Beacon’s forum know that I make no secret of my belief in the value of exercise. Clearly, exercise produces all kinds of benefits. It strengthens the bones and muscles. It promotes cardio­vas­cular health. And it has been shown to im­prove mental health by …

As I mentioned in my first column last month, I was pretty ill when I was diag­nosed with multiple myeloma in June 2015. Despite nu­mer­ous visits to doctors, physio­ther­a­pists, chiro­prac­tors, and massage thera­pists, it took months for me to be re­ferred to a hematology depart­ment. I know from reading The Beacon that this is far from a unique experience, and many people unfortunately may relate to this experience.

At the time when I discovered that I had multiple myeloma, my husband Graham was working in Singapore. I had gone back to …

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 …

At the end of my previous column, I explained that the title of my column, “A North­west Lens On Myeloma,” refers to where I live – the U.S. Northwest – and one of the passions in my life: photography.

I started seriously shooting photographs in 2009. By 2011, I was printing the best of my work and showing it regularly at regional art shows – first for judged prizes, and then for sale to the public.

Unfortunately, my myeloma diagnosis in 2015 significantly cut into my ability to participate in art …

This year, the autumn colors have been unusually magnificent here in Colorado. I believe this Indian summer has been the finest show in recent years.

The riot of colors on the hillsides created a contrast to what was hap­pen­ing to my body. Multiple myeloma cells were ad­vanc­ing aggres­sively and reducing the pro­duc­tion of nor­mal blood cells. I became acutely ill with severe anemia, easy bleeding, and shortness of breath.

My husband Mark and I had planned a three-week trip to the East Coast for the end of September to revisit the life …

Recently, some close family friends received some bad news. Our good friend – I’ll call her Betty – has been on the novel drug Imbruvica (ibruti­nib) for her ag­gres­sive lym­phoma. Betty was on the drug for 21 months, and we were all hopeful that it would continue to keep her lym­pho­ma at bay for many years to come. Unfortunately, she was just told that her lymphoma has returned, as evidenced by numerous tumors in her ab­do­men and back.

The plan was for her to go into a clinical trial if she could do …