“Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.”
– Max Ehrmann, Desiderata.

I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in July of 2009 at the age of 58. In hindsight, I should have known that a misfortune was developing because things started to change earlier that year.

The spring of 2009 was a late, cold one here in Calgary. Snow storms buffeted us almost weekly into May. Most outdoor exercise seemed to include snow shoveling and walking with snow boots on. Dreams of flower gardens and spring activities were…

Just this week, an acquaintance of mine passed away due to complications from his long-running battle against multiple myeloma.  He was treated at the same out-of-state myeloma clinic at which I was treated. We occasionally ran into each other at the local cancer center where we both received maintenance chemotherapy.

He was fifteen years my senior and had a lot of medical problems aside from myeloma. Ultimately his kidneys were destroyed, he was on dialysis, his heart was diseased, and he had trouble getting around most days. While his condition…

Over the past month, I have once again experienced a wide variety of multiple myeloma-related events that I have heard about over the years.

One thing is for sure:  I don’t recover from sicknesses nearly as well as I used to before my autologous stem cell transplant in July.

Three weeks ago I experienced the worst cold I have had in a decade.  I was able to fight it off in a week or so, but then I was hospitalized this weekend with neutropenia (low white blood cell counts) and a…

I try to make a point about not talking in my column too much about whatever symptom, side effect, or malady is affecting me at any particular time.

But suffice it to say that lately there has been a lot going on with me, and it has brought to the forefront that inevitable discussion about what to do next should my current treatment regimen of Revlimid (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone (Decadron) start to fail.

I’ve discussed this prospect at various times over the past year with the handful of…

Over the course of 2011, multiple myeloma patients and caregivers graciously shared their personal experiences with myeloma in columns they wrote for The Beacon.

Some have taken a chronological approach to describing the events leading up to their diagnosis, through their treatment, and to where they are currently.  Others have written about their struggles with side effects, relapsing, and dealing with the disease emotionally.  Some have provided tips based on their own experiences, and others have told their story with humor and a positive outlook.

As a service to its…