Living in the Postmastectomy Body: Learning to Live in and Love Your Body Again (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Zuckweiler, a psychotherapist and nurse who chose a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy because of her family history of breast cancer, addresses life without a breast. Since most mastectomies are cancer-related, she touches on the basics of the disease, but her main thrust is to help women accept and deal with such concerns as phantom pain, grieving, depression, body image, and sexuality. In her discussion of reconstruction, however, she stresses the negatives over the benefits and considers simultaneous reconstruction a poor choice. Her own implants failed and had to be removed 13 years later. She feels women would be better off using breast forms, and those who choose that approach will find some useful information here. Nonetheless, the biggest drawback to this book is its lack of photographs. One cannot truly address a return to normalcy after a mastectomy without showing photos of women who have survived the ordeal. The exclusion only heightens women's fears that a breastless chest is too awful to comprehend no less to view. Marisa C. & Ellen Weiss's Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LJ 9/15/97) and Vladimir Lange's Be a Survivor (LJ 6/15/98) offer information on acceptance and sexuality in a much more positive manner. Zuckweiler's book is recommended only for comprehensive patient health collections.?Bette-Lee Fox, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Undergoing a mastectomy is a devastating experience. This unique and hopeful coping guide fills a gap in women's health literature. While there are many fine books on breast cancer, none deal with the very real, and very practical issues facing a woman who is about to undergo a mastectomy and who then must deal with the challenges of living in the post-mastectomy body. Written from a professional and personal experience, Zuckweiler covers the practical, physcial, psychological, social and sexual aspects of recovery. And, she provides advice for every day life, like buying and altering clothes, choosing a prosthesis, treatments for phantom pain, and new exercises she has developed to deal with the pain and special needs of mastectomy patients.

Product Details

• Paperback: 273 pages
• Publisher: Hartley & Marks Publishers (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881791520
• ISBN-13: 978-0881791525
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #232,464 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What to expect after a mastectomy., April 23, 2000

By	Mindy Greenfield (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

The authors choice to have bi-lateral prophylactic mastectomies in no way diminishes the value this book has to offer breast cancer patients. It provides a wealth of information regarding what to expect, post-operative care and reconstruction options. I found it informative and comforting.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Response to earlier review, June 22, 2000

By A Customer

This is a very helpful, caring, and complete guide for women. Contrary to an earlier review, the author DID NOT have a double mastectomy for cosmetic reasons. If that person had read the author's story, she/he would know that the author lost 3 generations of the women in her family to breast cancer and had a mastectomy as a preventative measure. That might be controversial, but it sure isn't cosmetic! This book will be helpful to anyone who has to deal with the surgery or its aftermath.

10 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars breast cancer survivor advocate, March 17, 2000

By A Customer

The book is about a person that had a mastectomy because of an elective cosmetic surgery ,cancer patients did not elect to have cancer the issues are VERY diferent: like life and death.I DO NOT RECOMEND IT IF YOU ARE A CANCER PATIENT.