Dr. Gordon Christensen’s June JADA article, "Enjoying Life as a Dental Professional," really hit home for me, especially the part about a negative event having a positive effect on one’s life.
I had a very negative event happen to me three years ago at age 47, when I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer) on June 6, 2000. The challenges of this insidious disease would be enormous as I faced chemotherapy, life-threatening infections and two stem cell transplants.
Yet, from the beginning, many positives existed. Neighbors and colleagues provided amazing support for my wife and me, while patients sent get-well cards on a constant basis during the treatment process. Family was a huge factor in my recovery, for I had the prayers and support of all, with a brother who gave me the ultimate gift—life—by donating his stem cells, and a wife who was my caregiver and biggest supporter of all.
This life-altering experience had a profound effect on me, as I became a much more compassionate and caring individual. I tell people not to feel sorry for me, as I now know what it is to enjoy life to its fullest. As much as I wish I never had this cancer, I would never trade the experience, for from it evolved a much better human being.
I still have multiple myeloma, I practice two days a week, I’m in remission, and every single day is a gift. Yes, out of bad comes good: I am living proof of that adage.
