Multiple Myeloma- Dancing In the Rain with MyelomaTeacher

We all have different personality traits.  Some of us are introverts while others are extroverts. Some of us are carefree while others are more serious. Some of us are nurturers while others graciously receive gifts of help. I would classify myself as a nurturer. I receive joy when helping others. It is in giving that we receive.  I receive so much positive energy from helping others. Helping others re-energizes me.  This summer I traveled to Peru as part of A Fresh Chapter's Peru Odyssey Program .  A Fresh Chapter is a non-profit dedicated to healing the emotional scars of cancer. A Fresh Chapter combines domestic or international volunteerism with programs designed to reframe adversity, foster connections, and promote personal growth and development. A Fresh Chapter's  vision is a world where our experiences with cancer empower us to seek new purpose and possibility in our lives. My volunteer assignment was helping at Martincitos the senior center located in Villa

Can Adversity be a good thing?  Can it be a catalyst for change?  Hell YES!”  (A phrase that has become a part of my vocabulary since I met my dear friend Terri Wingham, founder of A Fresh Chapter, this summer.) Being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, at age 49 was a devastating event. At the time of my diagnosis I was in disbelief. After reconciling the initial period of denial fear crept in. I was feeling sorry for myself, but I felt devastated for my family who I believed would be without a wife and mother in just a few years. I began preparing for my death by getting my affairs in order, writing letters and planning family vacations to places like Disney and Las Vegas in hopes of making lasting memories. Memories I hoped my family will cherish once I was gone. But as I was preparing for my death I began living.  I was now doing things I always seemed to put off in the past. I was living in the moment and enjoying life. Thanks to advances in myeloma tr

Can my trip to Peru with A Fresh Chapter be about a week away?   I am filled with mixed emotions.  I am both excited and scared.  I am looking forward to a new adventure, but I am dreading packing for this adventure and the long travel itineraries that I will be doing solo.  I am anxiously anticipating my volunteer assignment, but I am feeling uncertain I will be able to make a difference especially since I don’t speak a word of Spanish.  I feel excited to be making new connections, but worried I won’t remember anyone’s name.  I am eager to have an opportunity to experience a new culture, but nervous that I will get sick.  The list goes on and on. PREPARATIONS I have prepared for the Peru Odyssey by filling out forms, buying supplies, getting vaccinations, reading travel guides and speaking to others who have been on this life changing experience.  I even downloaded Duolingo to try to learn some Spanish.  But the best way I prepared for this experience is by actively engaging

Only Your Genes Will Tell By Cynthia Chmielewski Molecular Groups of Multiple Myeloma Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells found in the bone marrow. We now know that Myeloma is not a single disease. Researchers have identified several molecular subtypes. During the last 15 years, numerous studies have pointed out the heterogeneity of both the phenotype and chromosomal abnormalities of multiple myeloma. 1   Using Gene Expression Profiling of 414 newly diagnosed patients, Zhan   et al.   have proposed a molecular classification of multiple myeloma into 7 groups. Read on to discover how to determine to which molecular subgroup of multiple myeloma you belong and why it’s important to know that information. One Size Fits All Until recently there weren’t many treatment options available for individuals diagnosed with myeloma. Patients were prescribed the treatment that showed the best efficacy when tested in the general myeloma population.  Most trials in the