Patient's Perspective: Cindy Chmielewski

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My Biggest Decision- EVER

Deciding to retire from teaching was the biggest decision I EVER made. I still think back on occasion and question my choice.  I do miss teaching. I miss the students.  I miss my collleagues.  I miss the wonder I saw in my students eyes when we explored science. I miss seeing the world through a 10 year olds eyes. The only thing I don't miss is grading papers.  I decided to retire because I knew I couldn't give my all to the classroom. I knew I would have to take time away from my classroom to have my treatment and visit doctors.  I knew that there would be days that I would have to go to school on a dex high or a dex crash and my students would have to deal with a less then pleasant  Mrs. C.  I knew that during cold and flu season my students would come to school sick and tell me that they didn't feel good as they proceeded to get sick over my desk.  I knew that my chemobrain would interfer with my ability to multi-task in the classroom. I knew t...
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3 Days- 72 Hours

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A lot can happen in three days. I could drive from my home in New Jersey to California in 3 days.  In the New Testament Jesus told the Jewish populace at the Temple, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."  It will take three days to have the hardwood floors in my home refinished. It never occurred to me that when I hung up the phone after chatting with Pat Killingsworth three days ago it would be the last time we would be chatting.  Pat was a blogger, a mentor, an advocate, but most of all a dear friend.  I met Pat several years ago at a Patient Ambassador training and grew to admire him the more I got to know him. Pat's mission was to educate the myeloma community.  He accomplished that and much more through is blogs, books, speaking engagements and his beloved Beach Party. Pat was an unique individual. He put others above himself.  He blogged EVERYDAY. Pat often pushed himself to publish a blog post from his hospital bed...
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What I Learned in The Big Easy- We Can Make a Difference

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Recently, I had the privilege to travel to New Orleans to attend the American Association for Cancer Research’s (AACR) Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved Conference. I was part of the  Scientist-Survivor Program   (SSP) – a program I would highly recommend to anyone considering advocacy work. The purpose of this conference was to advance the understanding of and ultimately help eliminate the disparities along the cancer continuum.  What are Cancer Disparities?  Although cancer effects everyone in the United States- old/young, rich/poor, fit/unfit, male/female and all races and ethnicities certain groups of people have a higher  incidence and  prevalence   for a particular type of cancer, higher rates of complications associated with their cancer treatment, higher death rates and are diagnosed at a later stage compared to other groups. Disparities are typically related to certain rac...
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