Ray McMullen Fine Art Photography

Two weeks after my final test for my kidney transplant, I received a call from my oncologist. He was reporting to me that the PET Scan test came back and everything looked as he had expected. However, he wanted to know what was going on with my right foot, more specifically my right big toe. Without disclosing this to the doctors or testing staff, I felt as though I had an ingrown toe nail and that I was going to go to a pediatrist when I returned home. I laughed and told my oncologist the situation. He prescribed an antibiotic to help with the infection, and I told him I would go see my doctor. I was able to get with my doctor a few days later and had him look at it. It was determined that we stay the course with the prescribed medication and the he wanted to look at it in a week. A week had passed and the toe felt the same. My doctor wanted to try one other type of antibiotics to see if they would help, and if not, he would get me in with a Pediatrist. Needless to s...

After my diagnosis, I was forced to slow down a bit from my everyday life. In doing so, I was able to appreciate the little things in life. Things that I would have just passed over without a second thought, like: 1.      Colors —Colors are more vibrant and I see so many more then I ever had before. It’s as if I’m seeing things with different eyes. 2.      Taste —I developed a taste for foods that I never liked before. All the things that I liked had bolder flavors. 3.      Relationships —I felt a need to listen to people when they spoke. Instead of waiting to speak, I actually was listening to what people had to say. I found a greater desire to connect with people. Having cancer did feel like a death sentence at first. However, after living with it for a couple of years and finding my new normal, I really don’t think that I would change a thing. I have a new appreciation for life and if my cancer ...

After being diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, I found a new desire to connect with people. I learned that talking to people is one of the most valuable things we as humans can do to grow and develop. No pre-conceived judgements or thoughts about anyone. You can’t judge a book by its cover. Just a one on one discussion about life and sharing time. It’s one of the most valuable things to me. We’re not guaranteed tomorrow, we only have right now. If you are reading this, contact me. Let’s talk and get to know each other. You might just be surprised how much you like it. Start living your dream and share your passions…