As my regular readers know, I am in the midst of my first stem cell transplant to treat my myeloma.

I don’t care how many doctors say this is a “tolerable” procedure--it isn’t any fun.

I am nauseous constantly, tired as my blood counts crash, and battling to keep diarrhea and mouth sores at bay.

But I’m always looking for a positive spin or silver linings as I wait for my stem cells to engraft.

For example, when I learned I would be receiving anti-fungal medication, I lobbied the transplant pharmacist to …

Last week I promised to keep everyone updated as I prepared to undergo my first autologous stem cell transplant.

Despite a few close calls—like a final insurance approval that didn’t arrive until 5:01 p.m. the day before I was scheduled to be admitted—I am sitting here as a stem cell transplant patient in Moffitt Cancer Center’s brand new Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) unit.  And I’m happy to say that I’m alive and doing well.

On Tuesday night, I received my first high-dose chemotherapy infusion of melphalan (Alkeran).  As I write this on …

I completed my grueling, pre-stem cell transplant testing this week.

I also learned I am right on schedule to undergo my autologous stem cell transplant (using my own stem cells) beginning Monday.

The plan is for me to stay on the Moffitt Cancer Center Transplant Unit for one or two weeks. At that point, I would be moved to outpatient housing nearby for an additional two or three weeks, as I start my long road to recovery.

I hope to be able to continue to write my column weekly throughout the …

Isn’t it amazing what a multiple myeloma patient can learn to endure?  I’m so much tougher than I was four years ago when I started my myeloma journey.

But despite all of the drugs, pokes, sticks, and tests I have been forced to endure, one thing I had yet to do was learn to give myself an injection—and the thought had always petrified me!

Let me back up a bit.

I have been taking Revlimid (lenalidomide) orally for over four years.  Ever since I developed a pulmonary embolism (blood clot) in …

While I was in Chicago for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting this past weekend, I noticed a renewed emphasis by clinicians and researchers to aggressively move forward with individual, targeted cancer therapies.

Attempts to use patient-specific antibodies as a way to deliver innovative anti-cancer therapies grabbed the headlines.

But there is a far simpler way to use patient-specific information. Tailoring dosing to each individual can get the optimum results with minimal side effects, using anti-cancer drugs and therapies that are already available.

This is especially true for multiple myeloma …

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Memorial Day holiday weekend!

I was fortunate to be able to spend some rare, quality time with my wife and caregiver, Pattie.

We shopped a bit, saw a movie, and shared a relaxed meal at a restaurant near our home.

While we dined, Pattie and I began to discuss my upcoming stem cell transplant, which was recently re-scheduled to begin around July first.

It was then Pattie reminded me about an unfortunate summer holiday cancer-related tradition we share.

It started over a decade ago, when my …

Many multiple myeloma patients and caregivers live in a new, Internet-centered world.

As recently as five or six years ago, someone with multiple myeloma would have heard about a new anti-myeloma therapy from their oncologist—probably when the new drug was being prescribed for the first time—or possibly while deciding whether or not to participate in a clinical trial.

Man, have times changed!  Not only are there as many as 90 different myeloma-related drugs or drug combinations being researched now, but thanks to websites like The Myeloma Beacon, it is easier than ever …