I grew hairs on my palms and some of my teeth became pointy and I could not walk past a tree without feeling like I suddenly needed to urinate on it and I could not go past a Hungry Jack's without smelling the blood and needing an Aussie Burger even if I was on the way to0 the hospital for my dose of Velcade and Dex on day one day four day eight and day eleven then a week off and it all started again I sort of got to really hate the Dex and now I am about to start off again and I know exactly what's going to happen so do you does that answer your question? HHOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLL ... View more

I pride myself on being able to spot a mention of Dexamethasone a mile off. Am I right, Ben, or is it a different 'roid'? (I learned to spot Dex a mile off because if I didn't it would hit me like a train and keep going looking for its next victim.) H ... View more

I am sad about having cancer, because it has changed me and a lot of things (and people) are not important to me any more. I find that sad, because neither they nor I did anything to choose that. It just happened. Didn't it? I am not sad about my own life. I am happier and more content than ever before. I am sad about the collateral damage and always will be. I agree about writing it all down. Great idea. No sadness in doing that. H ... View more

I don't remember it, but would like to see it too. ... View more

Great. But no! It's funny how something so hard can be so simple. H ... View more

Hi pimbok I am not a scrapbooker but maybe think about the story you want to tell. For example, one of the winners of the CCV Arts Awards last year was a drawing done over the top of a pathology report for the artists mother. It was a very effective portrayal of illness in that family. You can look at it on the CCV site. Maybe start with an artifact you are fond of and ask yourself "What is the story here?" Then add the next piece or heading accordingly. Take it in the direction that your natural sense of the story of your cancer suggests. I used to have a hat that I wore all through chemo and then I left it on a train. That hat could tell a story...if I still had it! H ... View more

I use Mozilla Firefox. I found that Internet Explorer did not cure my cancer. Either did Google Chrome. I have high hopes for Firefox, but to cover myself I am engaging in some surreptitious newspaper and book reading, especially over coffee in the early spring sunshine. There is definitely more Vitamin D in newspapers and books. H ... View more

Hi Stace I have decided that what the doctors say to me does not make any difference. Three years ago when I was told I was in remission it did not make any difference to my body as my body already knew that. So what the doctor said was just words. I had earlier decided that I was living with cancer and that did not change because I entered a stage called remission. Not a jot. I am still living with cancer, in remission or not. Some months ago I was told that my myeloma condition has returned. That is what the doctor said to me. I thought 'So what? I am still living with cancer'. The doctor's words were not a big deal for me at all. Any implications re new treatment, appointments, hospital visits, etc are just the practical day to day things that follow on. I still think 'so what?'. My identity is not about the medical condition. It is something way beyond that...just like I hope it is for the people who do not have cancer and have no idea that we are blogging away like this. Hope this helps. H ... View more

What a nice way of putting it. I have been aware for maybe three years that I have two versions of myself. One gets to stay behind and deal with the mainstream world that doesn't understand all that much about living with cancer. The other is checking in here and blogging away, writing, reading and living a life that includes cancer. It's the way I manage the conflict within myself. I make sure the two of me get together and blend quite a bit, just so I stay sane. But they each have definite jobs to do. No doubt about that. H ... View more