Book

Carvalho, Lucia Giuggio.

The everything health guide to living with breast cancer : an accessible and comprehensive resource for women / Lucia Giuggio Carvalho and James A. Stewart.

Avon, Mass. : Adams Media, ©2009.

xvi, 287 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

From the Publisher: The diagnosis of breast cancer challenges a woman's sense of self, her body image, and ultimately her own mortality. In this health guide, breast cancer survivor and nurse Lucia Giuggio Carvalho provides a basic overview of breast cancer, its biology, psychology, and treatment options. This comprehensive approach to facing breast cancer covers: Physical changes that occur with treatment, such as hair loss, early menopause, fatigue, sexuality, and weight gain/loss. Treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy, clinical trials, radiation, hormonal therapies, and reconstructive surgery. Support systems, medical insurance coverage, and financial considerations. Complementary alternative medicine choices and more. The breast cancer journey is not about doing everything right for the right outcome. This book shows you the importance of living life to the fullest in each stage of breast cancer treatment and to find from within yourself the strength, courage, and spirit to survive it.

Everything health guides

Everything series book

Everything health guides.

Everything series.

Breast -- Cancer -- Popular works.

Breast -- Cancer -- Patients.

Stewart, J. A. (James A.)

Living with breast cancer

"Includes the latest information on traditional and complementary treatments"--Cover

Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-268) and index.

Introduction -- 1: Overview Of Breast Cancer -- Risk factors for breast cancer -- BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes -- Role of the immune system in cell growth and metastasis -- What to expect-a basic time frame -- Think about your treatment -- 2: What Does Breast Cancer Mean? -- Types of breast cancer -- Tumor size -- Tumor grade -- Lymph nodes status -- Lymphedema -- Stages of breast cancer -- Estrogen receptor status -- Biomarkers -- 3: Tests To Diagnose Breast Cancer -- Traditional mammography -- Digital mammography -- Ultrasound -- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -- Breast biopsy -- Genetic testing -- Waiting game -- 4: Exploring Your Options -- How to choose your physician -- Learn as much as you can about your choices and challenges -- Examine your decision -- Slow down-make an informal decision -- Make the best decision with the information you have -- Getting rid of "what if?" -- Try not to jump ahead of where you are -- 5: Treatment Options And Side Effects -- Surgery -- Chemotherapy -- What are clinical trials and are they for me? -- Hormonel therapies -- Radiatio therapy -- Which treatment option is best for you? -- Making the right decision for you -- 6: Personal Resources And Support Systems -- Know your support systems -- Bring someone you respect to your appointments -- Friends and family will keep you going in the midst of adversity -- Health care providers as partners -- Spiritual strength: build upon your spiritual self -- Financial resources -- Health insurance -- Employment benefits/resources -- 7: Feelings Of Being Overwhelmed: Why Me? -- Reality hits: I have cancer -- Questioning your everyday life -- Gloom and doom stage -- Accept full responsibility for your life -- Recognizing signs and symptoms of depression -- Fear of recurrence -- Commit to growth, not perfection -- Keep your goals in mind, reassess, and make changes -- 8: Sharing Your Diagnosis -- How to tell people you have breast cancer -- Telling your spouse/partner -- Telling your parents, siblings, and family -- Telling your children -- Telling your friends -- Telling acquaintances -- Telling future mates/dates -- 9: Going Through Treatment -- It's all on your head-or was -- How do I pick a wig? -- Dealing with fatigue -- Recognizing the role of energy in healing -- Cancer and sexuality -- Why does my body feel different? -- Feeding your body-what is right for you -- Vitamins and health food -- 10: Healthy Coping -- Let friends and family help -- Past coping patterns-what worked? -- Loss is the overriding theme -- Do what you enjoy best -- Seek out humor -- Try journaling -- Be kind to yourself -- Join a support group -- Exercise -- Grow yourself.

11: Exploring The World Of Complementary Therapies -- Meditation -- Yoga -- Pilates -- Reiki -- Massage -- Acupuncture -- Healing touch -- Art therapy -- Diet -- 12: Positive Mental Attitude -- Develop a positive mental attitude -- Choose to find hope in all you do -- Do whatever it takes to stay positive -- Life is a process, so is having breast cancer -- Surround yourself with positive people -- 13: Opportunities -- In all of life's crisis lie opportunities -- Evaluate what is important to you -- Find an opportunity to reach out to others -- Volunteer to help a local breast cancer cause -- Breast cancer awareness and the pink ribbon -- Discover the wisdom that cancer brings -- Living life the way it was meant to be lived -- 14: Empowerment And Capturing Your "New Normal" -- Your greatest growth comes from your greatest difficulties -- Find out what is important to you -- Know you are in the driver's seat -- Listen to your heart and follow it -- Benefits of living your life with purpose and design -- Accept that your old self is no longer -- Identifying what your "new normal" is -- Deciding how you want to live the rest of your life -- Be sensitive to family and friends as they adjust -- Embracing the freedom you deserve -- 15: Future Of Living With Breast Cancer -- Getting down to the business of life -- What about my 401(k) -- Continue to question how you spend your time and money -- Reassess the status of your will/HCP/DPOA -- Assess any special considerations and plan for them -- Make plans-expect to live -- 16: Write Your Own Story -- Trace your family history; create a legacy -- Plan a family reunion -- Write a letter to the special people in your life -- Wisdom that you would like to pass on -- Family/friend traditions -- Family recipes -- Special memories in your life -- How to write the story of your life -- 17: Stages Of Grief -- Grief cycle -- Denial -- Anger -- Bargaining -- Depression -- Acceptance -- Survival -- 18: Riding The Waves -- Riding the ups and downs -- Ups -- Downs -- Calm -- Storm -- Weathering the storm -- Navigating it all -- 19: When Someone You Love Is Diagnosed With Breast Cancer -- Your role as supporter -- How can you help your loved one during breast cancer treatment? -- Share your talents -- Do everything out of love -- What if she rejects my help? -- Follow your heart and be there for her -- If your mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother is diagnosed -- 20: What's New In Breast Cancer Research And Treatment -- Present -- New chemotherapy combinations and treatment -- New therapeutic advancements-precision guided cancer treatment -- Breast cancer stem cell research -- Quality of life research -- Breast cancer vaccines targeting HER-2 breast cancer -- What is translational research? -- Word about the environment and other cancer suspects -- Appendix A: Glossary -- Appendix B: Resources -- Appendix C: Breast cancer and cancer organizations -- Appendix D: What to bring to your chemotherapy appointments -- Index.

9781598699210

1598699210

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616.99449 Carvalho