Feeling relieved, then guilty, when my mum falls asleep
The most peaceful part of my day starts around 10:36 p.m. That’s when my mother has taken her last pills, I’ve checked her vitals, and…
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The things I miss about life before caregiving
I miss deliberately and intentionally placing my phone on silent mode. I miss the luxury of my phone battery dying, of my being out of…
The hidden signs of myeloma that whisper before they shout
When people think of cancer, they often imagine clear warning signs, such as a lump, dramatic weight loss, or a test result that leaves no…
Planning for the future when even tomorrow feels fragile
A few weeks ago, my cousin asked if I would join her family for her oldest son’s wedding ceremony this November in Dubai. “We’ve started…
How we’re adapting and finding hope in life with myeloma
When my mum, Esther, was diagnosed with myeloma in January 2021, our world split in two. There was the life we thought we were…
Questions to ask a caregiver — and which ones to avoid
I recently went to the supermarket to pick up some groceries. While I was shopping for avocados, an acquaintance approached me. “How is your mother?”…
From Mum’s myeloma diagnosis to our shared mission of advocacy
It started like any ordinary ache — something my mum, Esther, was all too familiar with. She often woke up with a crick in her…
Caring for my mother taught me to recognize my privilege
The first time I saw a patient all by himself in the infusion room, I didn’t notice him. No, that’s not what happened. On that…
Why I sometimes hide my caregiver status from others
At my last school reunion, someone asked me, “What do you do?” “I am a writer and a columnist,” I said. At the coffee…
Caring for someone with a rare cancer involves unique challenges
Last year, while I was attending a fundraiser for breast cancer, I watched several hundred people adorned in pink shirts cheering with joy and excitement…
