While I would love to get into a debate about the evolution of man versus the creation of man, that’s not what this article is about at all.

Instead, I would like to expand on some feedback I received in response to one of my articles. In a comment on the article, a reader wrote that those of us with multiple myeloma “have evolved.”

I found this comment to be especially on point. So much so, that I often think of it.

Let’s face it. We’re different than most folks. …

A few months ago, I wrote a column about taking the cortico­steroid dexa­metha­sone (Decadron). I took dex most days for eight months after I was first diag­nosed with myeloma in 2006, and have been taking it, be­tween one and three times a month, for the past two years.

I figured that this ex­peri­ence would mean that I didn’t have any­thing new to learn about taking dex, but this turned out not to be the case. Instead, the feedback on the column taught me a valuable lesson. I thought it would …

It’s funny how the most obvious things in life can escape your notice until you nearly miss the boat.

This was definitely the case for me recently. The wake-up call I answered has changed me as a caregiver, and it may be a friendly reminder to other caregivers and myeloma patients that the boat that’s sailing by could be about to run you over!

My moment of clarity came as I was lying on our front lawn at 3 a.m., covered in water and mud. A pipe near the foundation of …

It is interesting to note the clichés that have become common in our lexicon. Some of those clichés are useful for describing life with multiple myeloma. However, there are clichés that, because I have multiple myeloma, I am not so fond of.

My favorite cliché, which appeared about five years ago, is "It is what it is." A colleague of mine, who heard me use the saying frequently, gave me a plaque with the phrase engraved on it. I kept the plaque on my desk. It helped remind me that in my job …

I am lying in a windowless room with dark red blood dripping steadily into my body. I do not want to be here. Yet here I am. Once again I feel that I’m travel­ing backwards in time. Six years ago, I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma after having severe anemia. Right before and after my stem cell trans­plant, I received multiple infusions of packed red blood cells and platelets. That time remains a blur for me. Time travel can be.

Yet in the five years since my transplant, I have not needed any blood trans­fusions. …

I have been living with multiple myeloma for over four years now.

While I have no illusion that I am an expert on being a myeloma patient, I would say that I am past the beginner stage and into the intermediate level.

My disease was discovered while looking for the cause of some severe mystery colon inflammations I had been having for over two years. After I was diagnosed, I first took a “wait and see” approach for about six months.

When my free light chain levels became severely elevated, I was …

My wife will tell you that I am more like a tortoise than a hare because I always take my own sweet time about deciding things. I’m not so sure I agree. I’ll have to think about it and get back to you.

When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma back in 2008, I was not afforded the luxury of channeling my inner tortoise to contemplate whether or not to begin treatment right away. I was in rough shape and I had to get moving quickly.

I met several people in those …