My name is John Smith. My interests are writing, music, gardening, golf, photography, and walking. I am married and have two grown sons, Noah and Isaac. There are also two grandchildren, Savannah and Samuel. My wife, Marilyn, and I live in the beautiful Hood River Valley in northern Oregon. I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in December of 2007.
Here are links to some posts you might like:
Good Blood, Bad Blood 
Greetings, I just found your blog site through Margaret’s Corner. I have been reading your insights and enjoying the photos. Thank You for this blog it is one I will be visiting often in my walk with Smoldering Multiple Myeloma. Best wishes to you in your remission.
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Hello John
I am delighted to hear that you have returned to work. It almost seems a perverse thing to say under the circumstances but I have enjoyed reading the episodes of your life over the past five or so months. I like the calmness and clarity of the writing and hope you will continue to post your news and thoughts here.
My wife and I are thinking of trying to move house this year, not a prospect that either of us is looking forward to. When clearing out storage boxes I came across a couple of copies of the SSFHS Iris, ’61 and ’64 – going through these and mentally wandering in the past pretty well wrote off the rest of the day. Inevitably it led to wondering about what became of various people, so it has also been especially interesting to be able to see where you have worked and lived for so many years.
Best wishes
Jay
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John–What a pleasure to have met you in our support group. I’ve read your blog the last couple of days. Your writing is exquisite. I write also, a few novels (unpublished, but nevertheless heartfelt and true as I could make them) and the occasional can’t-help-but-put-it-this-way poetry. The things I’ve read of yours are inspiring to me. They make me want to get my thoughts down about the ups and downs and the highs and lows of housing multiple myeloma as clearly and profoundly as you have. But not competitively. (Oh maybe a little.) More like collaboratively, or colleagually. You seem a remarkable person with a great appreciation for life and its blessings and mysteries. After reading your stuff for several hours, I feel something like a stalker, so I want to pull back and merely declare I want to be your friend. David, the involuntarily retired nurse
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Hi! My mom has mantle cell non-hodgkins lymphoma and is starting her stem cell transplant in 2 weeks. Where can I find the necklace you wore to hold the lines of your hickman catheter?
Thanks so much.
The Daughter
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I am pleased to read your very nice and informative ‘blog’ and send all very best wishes to you as you continue your journey with MM.
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Hi John,
I just finished reading your wonderful blog. Hopefully, you remember me from SSFHS. It is hard to believe we have lived so close and never run into each other. My husband Craig and I live in Lake Oswego. I am sure your website has helped many people with MM and your friendship has surely brought them joy. I was diagnosed w/breast cancer last year and after a mastectomy I endured 4 months of chemo…..and so there were elements of your story that I did relate to. As you have elluded…..feeling good never felt so good….when you start feeling good. I have a friend who is in the throws of MM and I am going to pass along your site as I love your positive and loving approach to a really bad beast. Hopefully, we will see you at a class reunion……..better yet…..I would love to have tea in Hood River! My Best, June
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John, your website is awesome and very inspiring for those of us who have been touched in one way or another by the big C.
The photo you have of the leaves around the tree is beautiful and I wondered if you might allow me to use it. I am the webmaster for a small local native plant nursery. Aside from the general website, I publish a monthly native plant journal as an educational tool and botanical reference. The journal is not commercial. Our aim is to introduce folks to native plants and ways of gardening that benefit the earth. I will credit this photo to you and include a link to your blog if you approve of this use.
Either way, I thank you for sharing the journey you are travelling.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Rehm
Webmaster for Wallace W Hansen
Native Plants of the Northwest
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Wondering if you have any doctor advice for the Seattle area? My mother was diagnosed two months ago. They live in Georgia but I live in Seattle. We have been to the Myeloma Institute in Arkansas but insurance doesn’t cover most to the expense there and they are pushing her to put off treatment. Your blog is comforting and inspirational. Thank you.
Rachel DuPree
rachelclaire123@aol.com
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John,
I just read your tribute to La Coot, it was very touching.
Over the last month or so, I have not been vigilent in my blog reviews, so it was a moment filled with great sadness to read your update and the news. But I must say, your words transcended a beautiful image of her life.
Thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts..
I will certainly miss her posts.. be well
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Hi John,
My name is Natalia, I am the Community Coordinator at WEGO Health – an online health community meant for people like you who are especially active online around different health topics. We call these people Health Activists and our mission is to empower them to help educate and support their own online communities.
I have been researching Multiple Myeloma lately and came across your blog. I think you are a wonderful writer and its clear you are a leader in the online Multiple Myeloma community.
I decided to feature your blog on WEGO Health in my “11 Multiple Myeloma Blogs You and Your Members Should be Reading” blog post; http://community.wegohealth.com/group/cancer/forum/topics/11-multiple-myeloma-blogs-you
I hope that you check it out! I would love to hear your thoughts on other blogs to add to the list. It would also be wonderful if you could share it with your community on your blog.
It has been lovely reading your blog, I hope all is well and to hear from you soon!
All my Best,
Natalia Forsyth
Community Coordinator
WEGO Health
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Greetings from So. Oregon! Hood River is a beautiful place, you’re blessed to live there.
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May all your lab results, insinuations aside, lead to positive news.
Marcy Westerling
http://livinglydying.com/
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🙂 TY. Good tidings on all your travels.
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Greetings, John – I met you at Providence earlier this year, through my Create to Heal Program and The Women with Wings Foundation. I was hoping to reconnect with you, see if you would allow me to interview you and also to add a link from the foundation’s site to your blog.
I can be reached at pv@womenwwings.org or 626 403 7575. By telling your stories, you are helping so many others heal.
Cheers, Patricia Varga
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Hi John! I received your email and wanted to write back, but my computer crashed. It took me a while to get some of my data restored to a new computer, but I can’t find your email again. 😦 Could you write to me, please? Beth
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Sorry Beth, but your blog seems to be mal-functioning. I have composed an email twice and can’t get the blog to accept what I wrote. The little wheel next to the send button just spins. 🥴
You can write me direct at pmdelloatyahoodotcom.
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