Caren Goldman - Prevention the Ultimate Guide to Breast Cancer: Your Essential Resource from Diagnosis to Treatment and Beyond

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eISBN-13: 9781623360979

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I m a breast cancer surgeon. Every day, I see women who have recently heard the unhappy news that they have breast cancer. When they come to me, theyre frightened about their future and have many questions, such as: Will they make it through the treatment process and how arduous will it be? Will they live to see their children grow up? Will they be able to enjoy the retirement plans theyd always dreamed about?

Theyre worried about the present, too. From dealing with health insurance to managing finances to holding on to their jobs and shuttling the kids to soccer practiceif life seemed impossibly hectic before, those four little words, You have breast cancer, have made it seem simply impossible.

Often they are overwhelmed by the diagnosis and concerned about understanding enough to make the right decisions about treatment. All around them, family and friends are dispensing advice about the best doctors, the most up-to-date treatments, and the latest news about breast cancer research. I explain to them that it is important to understand that not everyones breast cancer is the same, and the advice they may be receiving may not be pertinent to their diagnosis.

My first words of advice to the women who come to my office: Take a deep breath. And then take it one step at a time.

Thats the advice I offer to you, too. I dont promise this will be easy, but with the information in this book, youll learn how to manage your breast cancer journey with confidence and grace.

This book will help to answer many of the questions you already have, now that you have been told you have breast cancer. Its a primer on breast cancerwhat it is, how its diagnosed, how its treated, how to live with it, and how to move on afterward. It will help you assemble the right medical team and work with them to choose the best treatment plan. It will discuss strategies to eat healthfully to rebuild your health and exercises to help rebuild your strength and stamina. It will give you a heads-up on important questions to ask your doctors, coping strategies for dealing with anxiety and stress, and tips on sharing the news with your family, friends, and coworkers. Youll even learn about complementary treatments that may be used to relieve some of the side effects you may experience. And youll be inspired by the stories of women like you who have walked a path very much like yours.

As you begin your journey, I wish you health and healing, the love and support of the people you care about, and unexpected moments of joy. Knowledge really is power, and the information youll find in the pages ahead can go a long way toward calming your fears, helping you make good decisions, and smoothing the road ahead.

Dr. Mary L. Gemignani, breast cancer surgeon,

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

W ith deep appreciation to Trisha Calvo, Nancy Fitzgerald, and Marielle Messing, our intrepid editors; to Lauren Shore-Prescott, MD, for lending her expertise; to Jess Fromm, for compiling the latest research; and to Hope Clarke, Keith Biery, Wendy Gable, and Elizabeth Krenos, for their hard work and late nights in devotion to this project.

Special thanks to the breast cancer survivors whose inspirational and informative personal stories made immeasurable contributions to this bookespecially Jewell Biddle, Summer Bondurant, Crystal Brown-Tatum, Donna Deegan, Vicki Gingrich, Patricia Huxta, Elizabeth MacGregor, Lockey Maisonneuve, Meryl Marshall, Amanda Mercer, Lesley Ronson Brown, Kimberly Simanca, and Marisa Weiss, MD.

And finally, heartfelt appreciation to Gary Shiner, Ted Voorhees, and Steve Grovenburg for their considerable offerings to the process.

E ither you or someone you care deeply about has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. We know youre sad, concerned, and scared about the future. Questions are probably popping up about where to go, whom to talk to, and what to do next. And you may feel confused and frustrated because you dont have any idea where to turn for the answers.

The four chapters in Part One show you ways to begin dealing practically and creatively with your feelings, diagnosis, and prognosis; to help you assemble the best medical team you can; and to communicate effectively with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

LAO TZU

W hat happened when your doctor said, Im sorry to tell you that you have breast cancer? Like so many of the women diagnosed with breast cancer each year, you probably experienced shock, denial, anger, fear, and sorrow. And in the days and weeks that followed, you most likely spent time pondering your diagnosis and, at the same time, trying to banish your worst fears. During those moments, you may have felt bewildered and frustrated as breast cancer began turning your life inside out. Chances are you started to ask some difficult questions, including a pesky, unanswerable one: Why me?