Customer Reviews

After Breast Cancer: Answers to the Questions You're Afraid to Ask (Patient Centered Guides)

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I purchased, After Breast Cancer: Answers to the Questions You're Afraid to Ask, for a friend of mine who was diagnosed with primary breast cancer two years ago. Before giving my friend the book, I read it, so I would not be suggesting a book that might "scare" her. Having metastatic breast cancer myself, I found myself wishing I would have had such a resource after my initial diagnosis. The book is extremely well-written and addresses all of the key issues of dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. It's educational and offers the patient a "take-charge" mentality of a breast cancer diganosis. This book is a "must read" for women (and men) who are dealing with or have dealt with breast cancer.

Of all the books out there on breast cancer survival, this one is the very best. It is full of first hand accounts from people who have coped with treatment and the after effects of breast cancer.

Unlike many of the fluff books on the market about breast cancer survival, this book is organized into sections that cover the various fears and topics that concern the aftermath of treatment. It goes beyond other books by presenting factual and helpful information everyone needs to face those fears and make logical decisions concerning follow up testing.

I read this book in one sitting and wish it had been written when my treatment ended. Every breast cancer patient should have this book and so should their oncologist!

This is a must-buy for a person with breast cancer, or that person's family members, friends, and even medical professionals. It truly answers questions that people are afraid to ask, and does so in a lucid way that leaves one feeling clearer about what's next... and calmer at the same time.

Musa Mayer is an internationally known and respected breast cancer activist who interviews a number of breast cancer survivors about the emotional fallout of a cancer diagnosis and carefully presents their views. She also sheds light on what sort of medical follow-up is reasonable, and why, and what sort is not useful, and why not.

The book is a gem: well-crafted, sensitive, well-researched. It fills a void. The end of treatment often entails a lot of uncertainty that patients don't know how to resolve, a feeling of unease and depression at odds with what "civilians" (or non-cancer patients) might expect. The latter might think that the end of treatment would be a time for whooping and hollering. But a breast cancer patient is left feeling in limbo, not sure what's next.

This book helps enormously. I cannot praise it highly enough.

I wish I'd had this book last year when my treatment was over. It would have prepared me for the flood of emotions and fears that I grappled to understand and deal with...I was done, why was I so depressed???? There is an abundance of information available for the person who is newly diagnosed and during treatment, but very litte for after and what I've read did not address the major concerns, like follow up testing...what test, how often? Now, a year later I feel that I truly do understand and will probably re-read that chapter before every follow up visit.

This would be a very helpful gift for someone you care about when she finishes treatment.

This book really hit home for me because it spoke to the deep fears I was not sharing with others. "After Breast Cancer" addresses the issues we all have to deal with when the initial 'shock', treatment, and testing is over. After the diagnosis, surgery and treatment, I felt a little like one does after the funeral of someone close. You go through the motions, mostly in shock still. Everyone is around you, concerned and caring and holding you up. Then all of sudden, it's quiet. For them, it's over. For you, it's just begun. This is where "After Breast Cancer" comes in and plays such an important role.

I like the fact too that the author has interviewed real people feeling this real loss and fear of the future. For me, this book at this time in the process of life was and is a blessing to enable me to go on with more knowledge and strength. I will read it again and again and recommend it to all who are just picking up the pieces after the storm.

The author of this book is a 14-year breast cancer survivor (at the time of publication.) Musa Mayer was a counselor in the Ohio Community Mental Health system, with a specialty in women's issues. The professional background, plus her personal experience, lends itself to specific knowledge to be an advocate for those facing breast cancer and its after effects. The author suspects that society encourages women to get on with their lives like before cancer, when in fact that is a faulty expectation. There is no going back to life as it was before cancer, because cancer shifts the foundation on which patients stand. Instead, survivors must build supports for a strong life after cancer. Mayer tells readers how to do that, and why it is necessary for post-cancer well-being.

Mayer incorporates the experiences of 40 other women. The women share their thoughts and feelings about what happens after surgery and other cancer treatments are over. The book clearly addresses the concerns of women worrying about recurrence and/or metastatic breast cancer. "This book takes the position that for women diagnosed with breast cancer, coming to terms in a direct way with the fear of recurrence can become a crucial part of the recovery process."

For the two million women in the United States who will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, the recovery process is no easy task. The impact that cancer has on the patient, her family and friends, is profound. Mayer divides the issues of recovery into eight chapters, which include informational and emotional content. What determines a cure? What defines a survivor? What medical tests should a survivor have? What symptoms would a survivor experience? What fears are "normal?" How does a survivor experience a "new normal?" According to Mayer, survivors must "discover what is normal for us now." In addition, Mayer explains the importance of support, and encourages survivors to seek support groups. She also includes an extensive resource guide. For those seeking a holistic approach to life after cancer, the area that is lacking in this book is a chapter on spirituality.
After Breast Cancer is a one-of-a-kind book that should be in of every survivor's library for resources and reassurance.
review by Lynn C. Tolson

This book confronts the issue of breast cancer recurrence head on with excellent information and quotes from others going through the situation. Without a doubt this book helped change my perspective on this issue and helped me cope with wondering if this one bout of breast cancer was/is my last, or if it's lurking in the future somewhere. I've returned to re-read sections of this book many times and each time I gain new perspective.

I loved the book! It is beautifully written, compassionate, clear, supportive and informative. It's personal and therefore, interesting, but also makes complex information clear and relevant. Musa, who is a breast cancer survivor, deals with the ambiguities that haunt all survivors. She cuts through complex scientific data and tells us what the data implies for us. She handles this difficult information on all levels: emotional, social and intellectual. As the Hotline Director at SHARE: Self-help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer, I consider this book a "must read" for all Hotline Volunteers and for any survivor who is experiencing post treatment anxiety.

For those of us living with breast cancer it is always reassuring to know that we are not alone on this journey. The individuals who share their experiences in Musa Mayer's wonderful new book do just that for the increasing numbers of women (and men) who are coping with the overwhelming relief and associated sadness and uncertainty that come after our breast cancer treatments are done and we are set free to live our lives away from surgeons, oncologists, nurses, tests and instruments.

Relief. Laughter. Tears. A knowing nod. A chill. I devoured this book, hungrily,as I read my sister's stories. As a breast cancer survivor, I was told repeatedly by my care providers "not to worry"... "you have beat this"... "walk away now"... "close this chapter of the book"... "move on"... But how do we do that when the fact remains that almost half of all women diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC), as I was, eventually die of the disease? I felt misunderstood... made to feel a bit of the hypochondriac, as I visited my oncologist with each back pain... each unrelenting headache... each persistant cough? WHEN WILL I FINALLY STOP LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER? And then I read this book. Musa Mayer writes from her own experience as a breast cancer survivor, using her skills as a therapist and as a patient advocate. I finally feel like someone understands. She writes brilliantly, with clarity of vision and a spirited, confident heart. She reveals the experiences of many, MANY women who share my fears, without diminishing my own. She understands, yes... yet the book's greatest gift is the knowledge that I am not alone.