Customer Reviews

I'd Rather Do Chemo Than Clean Out the Garage: Choosing Laughter Over Tears

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I purchased this book for my mother, who is currently undergoing chemo treatments. Unfortunately, she had a very bad experience with her first cycle and is at a point where she sees nothing about chemo as humorous. After I received the book, I read through it and decided that it was not the right time to give my mom the book. In fact, she would much rather clean the garage than go through chemo. I had related a few of the insights to her, and she didn't appreciate any of them. As all caregivers know (now), each person has their own reaction to chemo - I believe my mom just wasn't at the right stage in her chemo to appreciate the intent of the book. I would suggest that persons purchasing the book seriously consider where the intended recipient is at emotionally in their treatment before passing it on.

I purchased this shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36. After hearing devastating news like, "You have cancer," I bought tons of books - informational, inspirational and this one. With the warning, "Do not read this book in the immediate postoperative period due to risk of popping a suture or staple closer," I thought this would be one of those "pick-me-up" books helping me to add laugh-therapy to my experience.

What I didn't expect was to be so appalled at this "Chemo Prima Donna" and using her chemo experience and cancer to guilt friends into bringing food and gifts to buying her artwork as part of "sympathy sales". Chapter 2, "Milking it for All It's Worth" about said it all. She even states, "You may declare me a shameless hussy and accuse me of abusing my friends..." Yes, that is exactly what I thought.

Were there parts of the book that made me laugh? After chapter 2 I kept reading hoping to find something that would have justified the $16.95 pricetag. After putting up with 3/4 of the book and finding only one or two very small things that were slightly funny, I decided it wasn't worth my time to finish reading it.

This book may be for some, but for many of us it's not. A good, fun, light-hearted book not cancer related is a much better investment.

I'd Rather Do Chemo by Fran Di Giacomo is an amazing approach to living with the big C. The author is writing from her experience of ten surgeries and many years of intermittent chemo-therapy. She says that in trying to come to terms with her perpetual condition of illness she rebelled against the sappy, optimistic, think positively books and videos after so long and continued to be depressed. Then she discovered that laughter is the very best medicine and surrounded herself with anything that made her laugh...her own therapy. When she found how much better she was able to cope with her illness this way, she decided to write this humorous book, which takes every aspect of the traumas a cancer patient faces and gives a whimsical but realistic twist to them, in order to help other patients survive with laughter. Poking fun at the surgery experience she says she had the idea that with so much paraphynalia in the O.R., she might just disappear and hide under the gurney and see if the doctor's noticed. She also arrives in the O.R. with an autograph book for anyone who has had their hands or instruments in her gut to sign. She tickles the funny bone of her readers over the casserole and chocolate scenarios and what to do with the many flowers friends send. From hair loss to memory loss, she bravely laughs through it all. This book provides therapeutic laughter for cancer patients and is a good read to give insight to their care-givers, family and friends. An excellent gift book for anyone whose life is affected by cancer.

Let's face it: chemotherapy is no joke. There are tons (and I mean TONS) of books out there that tell you what to expect when going through chemo, how to eat, how to be an advocate in your care, and a myriad of other related subjects . But there aren't a lot of books that tell you to laugh. Yes, laugh! Laughter is good for the soul. It helps bring energy and zest to life...even when going through chemotherapy. "I'dd Rather Do Chemo" is a great little book that brings a smile to the face and a chuckle (heck, even a guffaw) even on those dark days. The author, who has faced some very dark days herself, has a wonderful philosophy that one can choose to live a sad and depressed life with cancer, or one can live life to the fullest with laughter and looking at the brighter side of life. And yes there are brighter sides. Do yourself a favor--whether you are a cancer fighter, survivor or caregiver--read this gem of a book. It's a winner.

I bought this book to give to my aunt when she came down with cancer. It's actually a really inspiring book. It's not sappy like some books, but light hearted and matter of fact. The tone is like, "Let's make the best of this and have a few laughs!" The author has managed to find joy and humor in life, despite all the surgeries and chemotherapy. I really think this is the perfect gift if you know someone who has cancer.

This is a GREAT book to give to loved ones undergoing chemotherapy. It is funny and inspiring and not at all "sappy" like a lot of other cancer books on the market. The author has really found a positive way to look at a really difficult time in her life and I think her book will bring joy and laughter to a lot of people in similar situations.

This book helped my mother find the brighter side to chemotherapy. She laughed endlessly and couldn't put it down. She marked pages to share with famiy and friends, sharing the humor. This is a "must" for everyone suffering from cancer.

I have read and reread this hilarious and delightful book. It's a perfect prescription for many of life's setbacks.

I can understand the point of trying to bring smiles and laughter to a difficult situation. But the fact of the matter is that everyone one of us WOULD RATHER clean out the garage instead of doing chemo. I wish the title was different and then this book could be given as a as a "pick-me-up" gift to someone who is going through cancer treatment. BUT with the title as it is and some of the strong sarcastic comments in the book, it leaves you feeling uneasy about passing this book along to someone going through a life or death situation.

This book was not side-splitting funny but there was at least one place where I laughed out loud. I read it when a loved one's battle with cancer was becoming overwhelming. I bought the book for him and suggested he read it but I doubt he has picked it up.
I think women will be able to relate to this book more that men because the author is fighting breast cancer and she tells humorous stories about dealing with her appearance, such as wigs, keeping her figure, and playing tennis with her "IV".
The message of the book is very good and the advice about staying positive and energizing oneself with laughter is right on.