Monique Doyle Spencer has a new book, following her success with The Courage Muscle, A Chicken's Guide to Living with Breast Cancer. The new one is called How Can I Help? Here's a summary from the back cover:"Your loved one has been diagnosed with cancer and you're at a loss for what to do. You want to help -- but you're afraid you'll do or say the wrong thing. Written in a friendly and conversational manner, How Can I help? offers you specific advice on what to do for a friend or loved one in need. It's full of practical and compassionate suggestions."
Monique generously asked me to write the preface, but the really good stuff starts on page 1, once you get past the pages with little Roman numerals.
The book is published by Adams Media and is available from that company, Amazon, and book stores. It is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases from the publisher at 1-800-289-0963.
Monique Doyle Spencer has done it again. With her first book, The Courage Muscle, she taught us how to laugh instead of cry (well, at least most of the time!) when facing breast cancer. Now, How Can I Help? answers the question we all have, in her usual practical and conversational tone. I refer all my patients to The Courage Muscle, when they face that terrible new diagnosis. Now, I have something for their friends and families, who in many ways suffer the most when a loved one has cancer. As always, Monique brings home and laughter when the clouds are out. It's a great read.
ReplyDeleteJust spent a week or so receiving treatments at your little annex in Walthsm. Very nice. Quiet, informsl, staff 'acts' a little bored. BUT I think it's by design. It's a standard procedure with various probabilities. I would rsther consider it part of a life experience thsn a last ditch useless legerdemain that some of my hysterical relstives tske it for.
ReplyDeleteThe Doc is informstive, the Nurse is cheerful.
I asked if you ever showed up there. They said no. BUT don't go...I wouldn't want the balance to be thrown off -:) I don't really believe in thst stuff. My training is scientific but the spirit world has better metaphors.
If not a plessant reslity, at least they make it comfortsble.
Excuse the wandering prose. Must be the treatments...they're tiring.
I'm especially pleased that apparently this time around, she didn't have trouble finding a publisher. (For those who don't know, Courage Muscle was rejected by everyone she approached. BIDMC became the publisher. More visionary stuff!)
ReplyDeleteTeşekkürler
ReplyDeletewery nice
ReplyDeleteAnother timely and meaningful post.
ReplyDeleteIf I may add another book to the list regarding breast cancer (my specialty as a radiation oncologist) then we should all check out Turning Heads by Jackson Hunsicker.
Jackson has gathered famous photographers to shoot bald women with breast cancer to show their strength and their beauty. It is one of the most important books I've come across in my career. The response from women who are currently undergoing or have undergone chemotherapy is unaminously positive.
I am a fan of your blog.
phil beron md
breastcancertx.blogspot.com