I want to thank all of the readers who took the time to pass along helpful tips for staying positive last week.

Keeping a positive attitude in the face of a cancer diagnosis and treatment isn’t easy. But a positive attitude is the cornerstone of improving any patient’s quality of life during treatment.

Enough with the general, philosophical stuff! Here are a few practical suggestions to help multiple myeloma patients and caregivers make it through their day:

Keep moving. Go for a walk. Stretch for ten minutes. Swim. Roll your…

Last week, I promised to share a few tips that some of my multiple myeloma friends use to stay positive.

Staying positive does not cure cancer—and it probably doesn’t help extend a patient’s life. Surprised? Don’t be. There are a number of studies which prove this to be the case, including a large, 1,000 patient study, published in 2007 in the American Cancer Society’s journal Cancer.

A reader once commented on one of my blogs, “Pushing the idea that a positive attitude can help defeat cancer may leave some…

Back in 2006, when I was initially diagnosed with myeloma, I learned of the interest among researchers in investigating maintenance therapies, particularly a Revlimid (lenalidomide)/dexamethasone (Decadron) combination.

This struck me at the time as an encouraging and exciting development, particularly for anyone who had paid attention to how a similar line of research and the introduction of protease inhibitors and combination therapies have changed the lives of many persons living with HIV/AIDS over the past 15 years.

I thought it would be great if someone said to…

Before I get started, a word of warning: This column isn’t going to be a collection of tips on “how to handle dexamethasone side-effects.” I would be glad to write about that sometime in the future.

No, this column is about how patients can and should philosophically deal with side-effects caused by their multiple myeloma therapy. Philosophically? “What does philosophy have to do with my peripheral neuropathy or inconvenient constipation?” you might ask.

Here’s the thing. I don’t want to discourage patients from venting about their “dex days,” fatigue, or…

Last week, I spoke briefly with Greg Geissman, a public relations contact at Celgene, about the projected timeline for a new Phase 3 pomalidomide  research study in multiple myeloma.

As Greg finished describing the timeline, my mind wondered. I began to think about how different people view time.

Greg explained that it will take six months or more to find enough qualifying patients willing to participate in the study. The study itself will then take several years to complete. A successful result will hopefully lead to FDA fast track…