Kristina Schnack Kotlus - I Quit: Facing Cancer with Faith, Family & Friends

I Quit.

Praise for

After my father died of cancer, I picked up this book questioning whether it would too hard to read or whether it was exactly what I needed. I intended to read a chapter and then decide. 20 hours later, I had read the entire book (at the sacrifice of dishes, and laundry, and a dinner that wasnt cereal) and realized that God put this book in my hands at the exact moment in my life that I needed it. Not one to shy away from honesty, Kristina walks you through her journey with cancer with amazing detail and light-hearted sarcasm laced with truth, acceptance and purpose. If you have cancer, I suspect that this book will be your best friend that understands you in a way that no one else does. If, like me, youre struggling to support people in your life that have had cancerits a priceless book that lets you into the heart and soul of someone who does have cancer so that you can relate and understand a little bit more about what your loved one is going through. I walked away from this book feeling better at a time when I thought there was no better.

Rosemarie Groner , Founder, TheBusyBudgeter.com

I grabbed this book hoping to find comfort after my dads two-year battle with Lung Cancer. I was not disappointed

The author articulates a clear illustration of how cancer changes EVERYTHING, how quickly things escalate once it explodes into your world and finding hope even when the future is terrifying and completely unknown.

An honest portrayal that took me back to what it was like during every step of the process; diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and what it feels like when you have fought so hard and done everything right, to hear those horrific words that youve spent hours agonizing over its back. If you have been through cancer yourself or have been part of a cancer support system, this book is for you and will paint a picture that you can totally relate to. This is a story of strength, hope, empowerment, humor as a coping mechanism and God giving you exactly what you need when you need it.

Jennifer Lane , cancerbomb.com

Kristina Kotlus writes about her struggle with brain cancer and her very real chance of dying from it in a humorous, poignant, serious, hopeful, eye-opening, compassionate, engaging manner. She is bluntly honest about her hopes and fears, her concerns about her children, and the little kindnesses that made big differences in her recovery. She provides the reader with extremely wise and incredibly practical ways to interact with those who are dealing with cancer. She recounts instances of well-meant but thoughtless cruelty, and she praises the friends who through their love and wisdom made her struggles winnable. More importantly, she provides the story not only of how she beat cancer, but whyand sometimes the why is the most important part. As I read her book, I laughed and cried with her. If you have canceror any other life-threatening diseaseor if you have a friend or family member who is dealing with such a diagnosis, you will want to devour this book.

Steve Troxel, Ph.D. , Retired Professor, Liberty University

In a world where most people young and old do not want to reveal what is really happening in their lives, Kristina Kotlus in her book is authentic, wearing no mask but is willing to take us with her on her journey. There are moments of emotional, physical and spiritual pain but there are also moments that reveal how she experienced those special moments when God showed up and she is filled with hope. We are all filled with fear when we are faced with challenges but as this book reveals, challenges can also transform us and in doing so others are transformed.

Reverend Liz Danielsen , Chaplain-Founder/Executive Director, Spiritual Care Support Ministries, scsm.tv

A mutual friend introduced me to Kristina Kotlus with the words, You two need to know each other. As I took Kristinas outstretched hand and returned her warm smile, her first words stunned me: Im a brain cancer survivor; actually, Ive had cancer twice. I Quit vividly describes the battle that tried to take her life. Im an English teacher; I teach advanced college-level writing to juniors and seniors at a nearby university, and words are my life. That afternoon I set aside the mountain of essays I needed to grade to begin reading Kristinas words. Her story quickly engulfed me with its beautiful, poignant prose, laced with the somber reality of life and death, love and family, faith and friendsand lots of sarcasm, perfectly timed. As a lover of words, I was enchanted by her writing, and I read voraciously throughout the night. I laughed out loud in some parts, cried in others, and held my breath many times, but I could not put the book down. Kristina has written a profoundly courageous and heartwarming story, and I am honored to endorse her work. Everyone should read her book and pass it on to others. All will be richer for it.

Peggy Scolaro, English Instructor, George Mason University, Editor, The Dream King

I Quit.

Facing Cancer with
Faith, Family and Friends

(And Sarcasm. Theres a lot of that, too.)

Kristina Schnack Kotlus

NASHVILLE

NEW YORKLONDONMELBOURNEVANCOUVER

I Quit.

Facing Cancer with Faith, Family and Friends

(And Sarcasm. Theres a lot of that, too.)

2019 Kristina Schnack Kotlus

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in New York, New York, by Morgan James Publishing. Morgan James is a trademark of Morgan James, LLC. www.MorganJamesPublishing.com

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Taken from: THE PRAYER THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING Copyright 2004 by Stormie Omartian. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-1-64279-531-8 paperback

ISBN 978-1-64279-532-5 eBook

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019937078

Photo Credit:

Lisa Julia Photography, http://www.lisajuliaphotography.com

Hair Credit:

Jennifer Etherington, Statements the Salon

In an effort to support local communities, raise awareness and funds, Morgan James Publishing donates a percentage of all book sales for the life of each book to Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg.

Get involved today! Visit
www.MorganJamesBuilds.com

For Austin.

I couldnt ask for a bigger blessing than having you as a husband. But if I have to get cancer one more time for you to believe in Jesus, were going to be in a serious fight. For real.

As this is a faith book, I know that first and foremost I am supposed to thank God, and I do. In fact, this whole book is a thank you to Him. However, I also want to thank all the people whose names I did not include in that thank you. The closer I get to publishing the more I worry that I will deeply offend someone for not including their contribution to my story. Im sorry if I didnt write your name specifically. I had a word limit. I still love you very much.