About Me

This was me in 2007.  I was 43 yrs. old.   Married to my best friend, a High School Principal, former High School Wrestling Coach and Guidance Counselor. We had been married for 26 years.  We have five children; four sons and one daughter.  Never a dull moment at our house.  My oldest son is married and they now have a little baby girl.  My daughter just married in June. So our home seems to be getting smaller with three boys ages 13, 16, and 19.  I have a degree in education but felt very strongly that I needed to be home with my children so I ran a very successful preschool for fifteen years in a separate building behind our home. It was a great career and provided an income and a wonderful way for me to be a stay-at-home mom.  After diagnosis, I was unable to continue teaching.  Just one of the many things that changed when mm decided to add a little chaos to my life.

In October of 2008, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma a rare cancer of the bone marrow.  It effects multiple areas of the body.  The bones, kidneys, and blood,  are just a few.  It is usually found in older men. The median age is 70 years old. Lucky me!
 Before I began treatment, I had my hair cut short to gradually get ready for the inevitable.  A port was also placed in my chest and another temporary one in my neck that goes down by my heart. 

(This took courage to post this picture-so feel privledged to view it:) So here I am during treatment.  I lost my hair after high power (or is that poison) chemo called Melphan. This killed all the cancerous bone marrow in my body before two stem cell transplants.  

Here is one of my wigs.  I wore scarves around the house and a wig when I went out.  Which wasn't too often.  Because  number one; I did not feel up to it and two; I had to be very careful with my new immune system after my two stem cell transplants.


During that year I continued on chemo and a steroids as well as many other medications for side effects, possible side effects and side effects of the side effects.  I finished the chemo in August 2010 and continued the steroid-dexamethasone for the next year.

I finished maintenance treatment August 2011.  I looked forward to regaining strength and energy and enjoying my life with my family.

2019-It has been 11 years since diagnosis.  I am healthy and strong and have not been on any kind of treatment for several years.  I got my life back!! At 51 I begin teaching Jr. High.  Something I really thought I would never get a chance to do.  I taught for 3 years than transferred to a local high school where I teach Child Development, Adult Roles & Financial Literacy, and Early Childhood Education where my students run a preschool.  It's my dream job!!  

I am also a grandmother with 9 grandbabies!!!   Something else I thought I would never get to experience.  Life is good.  I know I am blessed and one of the lucky few to have gone so long without treatment.  I continue to do labs every 3 months, and scans once a year.

Life is Good!!