A breast cancer diagnosis feels like “a punch in the stomach,” but this insightful book by cancer survivor Melanie Young will help you navigate the rough waters ahead, giving you the education and insight you need to stay sane, focused, and in charge. A passionate traveler, Melanie helps you deftly navigate the trip you didn’t plan for: your journey through Cancer Land. She arms you with the … right questions to ask, handy checklists to keep organized, and savvy survivor tips to keep you looking and feeling your best every step of the way. It’s like having a breast cancer mentor right by your side, helping you plan for the road ahead and giving you empowering advice at every turn.
With disarming candor, Melanie discusses everything from medical jargon to implants:
• How to create a health management plan, with ideas for a record-keeping system that will help you organize medical visits and tests while still allowing you to have optimal health
• How to manage diet and health prior to surgery to give you the best possible surgical outcome. (Melanie is also a longtime food professional and certified integrative nutrition health coach.)
• How to make wise decisions about your caregiver relationships—everything from choosing the best oncologist to communicating with loved ones about your diagnosis
• What to expect with treatment, including insights about lumpectomy, mastectomy, and lymphedema
• The pros and cons of different implant, prosthesis, and breast reconstruction options
• Tips for optimal health after your surgery and during chemotherapy and radiation
• Ideas for keeping yourself looking your best, including thoughts on wigs, makeup, and fashion choices
There is only one aspect of your cancer you’ll have no control over, and that is the diagnosis itself. This road map will help arm you for the battle ahead as you make smart, confident choices. Melanie will be your ally as you turn your breast cancer diagnosis into an opportunity to learn how fearless and fabulous you really are.
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Dollycas’s Thoughts
Everyone’s breast cancer journey is unique but most of us go numb or are stopped in our tracks when we hear the words, “yes, it’s cancer” When you finally start to wrap your head around your diagnosis you have questions that need to be answered. For many of us, that means getting a book or books on the subject. A survivor’s perspective is always appreciated. It’s funny, I am a book person but that isn’t the route I took at first. Instead, I was Googling everything. Then in September, I was given the opportunity to review this book that was being released to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I was recovering from my surgery and set to start my radiation treatments in October and still suffering from “chemo brain” making it hard for me to write coherent reviews. So while late, I still wanted to share with you my thoughts about this book.
Melanie Young is a breast cancer survivor after being diagnosed in August 2009. This is the third edition of her book. She covers everything from “Digesting Your Diagnosis” to “Your Options on Reconstruction” to “Positive Side Effects” and “Making Cancer A Positive Life Sentence”. She shares her story while including insights from many experts.
I found the book to be very well-written and set up in a way that easy to follow even though the author’s path was in a different order than mine. She also did not go through her treatments during a pandemic as I did, but I hope she will address that in her fourth edition. So her account told me how things would have been if 2020 had been a normal year. I found myself getting emotional over the number of times she encouraged leaning on family members and having someone go with you to doctor’s appointments and chemo treatments. After my very first appointment where care was explained, I was on my own. I was so glad to have my daughter with me at that appointment because it was information overload and she knew I was overwhelmed she wrote everything down and asked a ton of questions. Questions the author of this book recommends. Lord, only knows how many important things I missed along the way without back up by my side although the doctors, nurses, and everyone involved in my care was superb and took great care of me.
I really wish I would have had this book at the start of my journey. It is packed full of information. Questions I had were answered in a clear and easy to understand way. I read and reread several chapters over the past couple of months. Ms. Young focuses on the positive way to look at everything in an upbeat way. A way I needed to read when cancer was getting the best of me. Some of the side effects were brutal but I found comfort in her words.
I am so appreciative that this book was presented to me for review. If you or a loved one receive a breast cancer diagnosis get them this book as soon as you can. The positive messages are uplifting and the information is useful and clear. It is an excellent resource that you can read and then refer back to certain sections as needed.
So this happened in 2019 and is the reason why I wasn’t seen around bookbub for a big chunk of the year. I didn’t read much and certainly didn’t possess the mental energy to write reviews. Chemo brain is real, folks! It’s December now and I can finally say I am on the other side of this crisis. Whew!
This book, Getting Things Off My Chest: A Survivor’s Guide to Staying Fearless and Fabulous in the Face of Breast Cancer, was a stellar resource. When I received my formal diagnosis in April, my anxiety was through the roof. I avoided the internet like the plague, certain that I would stumble upon a scary message board or blog and reach a level of fear I couldn’t climb out of. I was gifted this book by someone I trust, so between the doctors, wonderful nurses, and this one book, I felt as prepared as anyone could be. It addresses absolutely everything related to breast cancer and is designed in a way that allows the reader to easily access the topics that are applicable to them and the stage they are in. The only topic I needed help with that I didn’t find in this book was stretches/exercises to do after the mastectomies. I assume this was left out for liability reasons as the upper body is so fragile post-surgery and everyone’s muscular needs may be different.
I highly recommend this book if you or someone you know is facing this journey. Education, helpful information, real-life tips, and beautiful, uplifting hope. You are not alone.