by Connie C.
Member since:
August 4, 2006

What Helped Get Me Through-Cancer Survivors Share Wisdom and Hope

November 12, 2008 04:32 AM EST (Updated: November 12, 2008 03:46 PM EST)
views: 119 | comments: 24

In the world we live in today, cancer is a normal everyday word. It is a dreaded word but we hardly get through a day without hearing it.  Like many of you, I have lost many family members to this dreaded disease. There are just so many kinds of cancer and often we feel like we are isolated when the disease hits our family.

I was very fortunate to receive a copy of "What Helped Get Me Through" Edited by Julie K. Silver, M.D.  This book is filled with stories of hope and encouragement from those whose lives have been touched by cancer in one way or another. These stories will give comfort to those who need comfort, they will give strength to those who need strength and they will life up the spirits of those who are are feeling alone. The book also includes personalities Carly Simon, Scott Hamilton and Lance Armstrong, who share their heartfelt reflections and practical solutions for getting through the cancer journey. Cancer is a disease that affects not just the person who is diagnosed with it but the entire family.

This book has advice such as:

How I nurtured myself

How my family helped

How friends made a difference

Care and support from the health care team

What helped my children cope

Balancing work and family

How I changed my diet

How I changed my exercise routine

How cancer changed my life and more

 

Often we do not know what to do to help the person who is suffering from cancer so we do nothing. This book offers some wonderful tips that will show you care and give comfort to those suffering with cancer. Page 62 offers 5  tips on things to do for a friend who lives near you. These tips include:

1. Give a foot massage

2. Read a book or story out loud

3. Sit with a friend at chemotherapy or radiation or any other appointments

4. Bring him/her affordable luxuries

5. Make a scrapbook

On the next page you will find tips on what you can do for a long distance friend.  You will also find advice on how some people changed their diets and so much more.

This is a  book that would be a great gift for the cancer patient, the family of the cancer patient or just to read so you can relate to anyone with cancer. I highly recommend this book. It was so uplifting. I wish I had this book a few years ago.

I think it is one of the most encouraging books on cancer that I have ever read. I give this book a 5 Star and am going to be sharing mine with my Doctor.

About the Editor:

Dr. Julie K, Silver M.D.,  is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is also on the medical staff at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

 

List Price $17.95

Published by the Amreican Cancer Society

ISBN: 1-60443-004-4

Can be purchased here.
link to this page
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Comments: 24

Shirley ♡ ☮ M. Nov 12, 2008, 4:41am EST
I lost my sister in August to cancer. All the tips on page 62 ...I did for her. I was the only one in her last days she would let give her a foot massage and her hands. I purchased her favorite B&BW lotion. I still cry everyday .... I miss her so much.
Connie C. Nov 12, 2008, 4:43am EST
Shirley,
I am so sorry for your loss. I am glad you shared this with me though. I lost my Mother In law, Grandmother in law, and aunt and the list goes on and on to cancer. It is very difficult.
Shirley ♡ ☮ M. Nov 12, 2008, 4:47am EST
I have lost others in my husband's family to cancer...but my sister is the first blood relative to have lost their life to cancer. I did read a book similar to this one ... that my dear sister gave to me to help me deal with her and what she was experiencing. I am at work or I would give you the name of the book. I will try to find it at home and post the name here.
Connie C. Nov 12, 2008, 5:06am EST
Martin,
I am so sorry for your loss. Cancer is a cruel disease.
tammie p. Nov 12, 2008, 6:51am EST
this sounds like a great book. i do need to get this one. thank you for sharing this
Stephannie H. Nov 12, 2008, 7:07am EST
I lost my grandma to cancer.
Janet "Jax" B. Nov 12, 2008, 7:20am EST
Hmm...I might have to pick this one up for my MIL...
JOHN BECK Nov 12, 2008, 10:30am EST
This is a loving suggestion, Connie. I hope many follow your lead.
Rachel D. Nov 12, 2008, 1:56pm EST
When my mother-in-law was fighting cancer, she was so grateful just to have us visit and NOT talk about cancer. I talked about everything except her cancer. I think I was the only one of her family who did so. She was very grateful for me trying to make her forget about her circumstances for just a little while.
ELLEN B. Nov 12, 2008, 2:42pm EST
Great and loving post lady. I have been fighting this lung mass since last January. They are still not sure if it is cancer, or an infection from work-related materials, or if mold caused it. For months I pondered everything that could possible go through your mind. I wrote, I cried, I stayed alone. Not always by choice. Everyone on my mother's side of the family died from cancer, and I remembered each one. Smokers and non smokers.

I changed a few things in my life on my own as the doctors did a biopsy, (inconclusive, and that has been the hardest to take) gave me meds for infections, I am still on them, and tried to prepare me for having the top half of my left lung removed. I fought that. I have other problems, and did not want it. I prayed every second of every day. You cannot make deals with God about this. It is not hones in my book. This time my pet scan showed the mass shrinking a little. I cannot get overly excited, but I try to smile more now.

Having been independent all of my life, I was angry this was out of my hands to fix. I have calmed down, and I read alot. I must put this book on my list. In the meantime, I come to Gather as I can. This illness has been costly. So if any of my friends do not hear from me, know I may down a little, but I will come back. Thanks so much for the info,, it was uplifting. Ellen B
Connie C. Nov 12, 2008, 3:49pm EST
We lived next door door to my Mother in law for 20 years. She was like a mother to me. While she lay in a coma - dying in the hospital, the family got an apartment and we all stayed in it. I took my shift sitting with her at night. It seems that she always got worse at night. I would climb in bed next to her and hold her so she knew she was not alone. Even though the Dr's said she could not hear us, I read to her and I felt like she knew I was there. I hope in some small way it gave her comfort.
Connie C. Nov 12, 2008, 3:52pm EST
Ellen,
It can be very difficult when you are so independent. When you cannot have control over something with such a great impact on your life, it puts a lot of stress on you. I know. Like you I learned the hard way. I am glad that you were uplifted with this post. Please know you are not alone. There are many out there who feel burdened with the lack of control over our lives. Thank you for your comment.
Shaunee C. Nov 12, 2008, 5:07pm EST
This might be a book for me to help my neice. She is still upset and still talks about my grandmother who passed away to lung and through cancer last year. She is only 6 but since my grandmother pretty much watched her since she was a newborn she still talks about her Grannie Lou.
♠~Dnbuster~♠ ~. Nov 12, 2008, 6:15pm EST
I received a copy of this book too. i am trying to finish it. haveing a hard time....

Great review:)
rainne chandler Nov 12, 2008, 8:00pm EST
my dearest connie friend i have lost my grandmother and so many of my family to cancer my aunt lost both breast to this and about 3 mos ago i had a scare also but im still good thank are heavenly father
Jenny D. Nov 12, 2008, 9:45pm EST
Thanks for sharing!
Allison R. Nov 12, 2008, 10:50pm EST
--Alli wuz here--- (Clickin' like mad and leavin' a few comments) Thanks for posting!
Connie C. Nov 13, 2008, 8:36pm EST
Rainne,
I am so sorry to hear that you have lost so many loved ones to this dreaded disease.
Elizabeth S. Nov 14, 2008, 10:01am EST
When my father had terminal cancer, my brother and I would go to all his doctor's visits and sit with him through chemo. It turned the appointment into family time. He liked that the doctors and nurses were impressed we'd taken off work to be with him, too. It was such a small thing but it helped my mother, his caregiver, as much as my father. She needed the interaction with others and the time not to think about cancer and loss. As he got worse, she could steal some time away to buy groceries, have her own doctor/dentist appointments and such.
We definitely could have used the hints in this book, I'm sure.
K D. Nov 16, 2008, 7:58pm EST
It's good to hear that you have a good support system. That is so essential in our lives no matter what we have to go through.
Christine Zibas Nov 16, 2008, 11:22pm EST
Great review, Connie. So many have their own cancer horror stories to share with people they love and loved. This book would have been helpful to so many, but at least it is here now.
Christine Zibas Nov 16, 2008, 11:22pm EST
Thanks for posting your article to the Gather group Bookin'.
Christine Zibas Nov 17, 2008, 3:36pm EST
Just to let you know I featured this in the Bookin' group.
Claudia (kitty-cat) K. Nov 18, 2008, 2:35am EST
"Both my oldest kids had it at almost the same time, and I was on the internet getting everybody in the whole nation to pray for them, and my daughter, when she got into remission, said to her doctor that she has 1000 people praying for her.

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