Multiple Myeloma: The Plain English Handbook for Patients and Care Givers [Paperback]

Robert J Heller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 4, 2009

A comprehensive handbook and guide in easy to understand terms dealing with Multiple Myeloma; the disease, treatments, medications, lifestyle changes, and resources. Written by a non-medical author and based upon personal experiences. Updated annually.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The only book we know of written for the average patient and car giver which helps to get through many day-to-day problems and answers as many questions as possible. Written by a care giver who is NOT a medical doctor.

From the Author

I wrote this book precisely because when my wife was diagnosed with MM, I could find nothing on the bookshelves for non-medical readers. There are many pamphlets issued by many fine organizations, but we found nothing that was comprehensive. I wrote this in tribute to my wife and also to help others. A portion of every sale goes to help various organizations dealing with this terrible disease.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: wollaston press; 5th,Updated edition (March 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965700534
• ISBN-13: 978-0965700535
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,887 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help is Here!, October 10, 2004

By 

Shoshana - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Multiple Myeloma: The Plain English Handbook for Patients and Care Givers (Paperback)

This book is like blessed rain after a drought. Someone close to me has MM and when we received the diagnosis, I frantically tried to find info on the disease of which I had never even heard. This little book should be given out by doctors to every new MM patient. It's clear, wryly humorous and positive, yet realistic voice covers everything from how one feels when finding out what's wrong with the patient to making final decisions. Do I or my loved one have 2 years or 15? What, exactly, IS Mutiple Myeloma? What can we expect, what medicines are around, what are their names and what do they do? What if I can't eat, or lose my hair? How will he deal with depression or anxiety? What changes will we have to make at home? Should family and friends be told the truth? Where is the reliable internet information on this rare and intractable disease? How does one cope? My copy is so dog-eared that it looks almost as if it came with angled corners on its pages! The author's wife is fighting for remission, as many of us are. He knows what he's talking about. Let doctors write the exacting medical tomes about this, but for practical, supremely useful advice, Heller's book is a must read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was a blessing!, January 11, 2007

By 

Paula E. Phillips (Anderson, AL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Multiple Myeloma: The Plain English Handbook for Patients and Care Givers (Paperback)

"Plain English" is exactly right. I bought this book mostly to help my father understand my mother's illness. After reading it myself, I cannot describe how much this book has helped not just my dad, but my entire family. We had never even heard of Multiple Myeloma before my mother's diagnosis, so one can imagine how confused and helpless we felt. The technical medical terms with which we were being bombared at her first diagnosis left us feeling very inadequate and anxious. Mr. Heller explained the disease and answered many questions we had in plain English format. After reading this book, my dad is less confused about how to help my mother, more confident in his own ability to take care of her, and less anxious about her symptoms. Mr. Heller's wife was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and this book is written from his (the husband's) point of view.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with the first effects of being diagnosed, or having someone you love being diagnosed, with Multiple Myeloma. It is a good starting point in explaining things you need to know in an easy-to-read way.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview to start with, November 7, 2007

By 

Jennifer Golden (Quincy, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Multiple Myeloma: The Plain English Handbook for Patients and Care Givers (Paperback)

Excellent overview for newly diagnosed, but with treatment modalities, newer diagnostics and staging criteria, I find most of the best up to date and newer info from the heme/onc or websites such as IMF (international myeloma foundation) or American Cancer Society.