Holding Tight, Letting Go: Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer - Softcover

Mayer, Musa

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1565922549 ISBN 13: 9781565922549

Publisher: Patient Centered Guides, 1997

Synopsis

This is a book about life: the daily lives of ordinary people confronting a deadly disease.Holding Tight, Letting Go offers the stories of 40 women and men as they struggle to come to terms with metastatic breast cancer. All aspects of dealing with the disease are covered here: from coping with the shock of recurrence and seeking information, to making treatment decisions, investigating alternative and complementary methods, and communicating effectively with medical personnel. Finding sources of emotional support from other patients and friends and dealing with relationship and family issues are often as important as managing the side effects of treatment and the pain and symptoms of disease progression.Frank and moving descriptions from those who have been there make their stories meaningful to anyone who faces a life-threatening illness, whether they are talking about making end of life decisions, or keeping hope alive through spiritual connections, or seeking loving and compassionate care and the search for meaning in the midst of adversity.Women with breast cancer live in fear of recurrence. For a third to a half of those diagnosed, the disease will eventually spread. When this happens, most people assume it means an immediate and grim death sentence. The eloquent voices in Holding Tight, Letting Go speak of a different reality: that women with metastatic breast cancer generally go on to live with their disease, often for many years, and that through facing this reality, and gathering information and support, the time that they have can be full and meaningful.Of the dozens of books and other resources dealing with breast cancer, few discuss the realities of metastatic disease. Holding Tight, Letting Go gives a voice to the side of breast cancer no one wants to hear about, with stories of extraordinary ordinary people, forced by circumstance to call on resources in themselves and their families they never knew they possessed.

About this title

From the Publisher

Praise for Advanced Breast Cancer:

"I want you to know how much your book means to me. I am currently in treatment for breast cancer for the fourth time since 1987, second time for bone metastasis. I live in a small town and felt I was the only person in the world who couldn't get rid of cancer. Your book reassured me I had a lot of company, and has given me many role models for dealing with the disease. I thank you and those you profiled in your book for sharing their hopes and fears. When I mentioned your book to my oncologist, he asked me if I was frightened after reading about what I was facing. I had to reply that, to the contrary, it had given me courage to continue my fight." --Judith Neilson

"I found your wonderful book at UCLA Cancer Hospital. I am eternally thankful to UCLA for telling me about it. I had scoured book stores for sources of information on metastatic breast cancer. I believe yours is one of a few, if not the only, book out there that deals completely with metastatic breast cancer. I will be shouting its praises to anyone who will listen. I have read it twice." --Judy Conklin

"Such a book was desperately needed, and I will be pleased to promote it through the many women I know who are living with a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer, and others who are interested. It may prepare many of us for a road that we hope we will never have to face." --Liz Whamond, President, Canadian Breast Cancer Network

"There is little information and support available for the advanced breast cancer patient. Each year I receive the Resource List from NABCO. I turned to the page on metastatic breast cancer/recurrence. Usually the only things listed deal with pain management and hospice. I have no pain and thankfully am not near hospice.

I was pleased to find additional listings this year, including your book. Immediately I purchased it. I started reading and quickly realized what a treasure your book is, just what I was waiting for. I also told my husband and two daughters (27 and 29) that I'd like them to read it. I requested that the center where I am treated add this book to the patient library which they said they will.

You answered a need that was lacking for most of us on the breast cancer journey. And you did it perfectly. Bless you for that. I had been putting off getting involved with the computer. While reading I knew I couldn't delay any longer. So you are directly responsible for my joining the breast cancer email list. I thank you for that. It is a gift." --Ruth Wolf

"I started to read it and cannot put it down! As a woman who was diagnosed with a primary breast cancer last year,I have found the book reassuring, and feel that you have chased away some of the scary monsters in the breast cancer closet. As a friend of someone with metastatic disease, I have found something that I know will give her great comfort. I will be purchasing another copy of your book so that I may keep a copy for myself and add it to my private lending library." --Norma Steele

"I was afraid to even open the covers of this bookit seemed like it was going to be too difficult a journey. Silly me! You were right there with me, holding my hand, gently taking me down the path. I started it last night and look forward to reading the whole thing." --Harriet Kay

"Your book truly is a gift to all women and those who love them. With tenderness and respect you wove the stories of these spirited survivors into an outstanding guide for fully living to life's end. The extensive resource list was a delightful surprise. What a joy to have the organizational web sites listed. As one of the early-diagnosed breast cancer survivors without a personal knowledge of chemotherapy, I found the glossary especially helpful." --Rosemary Locke

"I just finished reading your latest book, andwow!what a good one it was. I wish I could get more women to read it. I did ask our cancer center to add it to their library. I think it is a fantastic book and a must-read for all so that everyone can understand the realities posed by metastatic breast cancer. As I have said before, the women with metastatic disease do face life issues differently than those of us who are disease-free." --Lois Anderson

About the Author

Before completing her MFA in the Writing Division at Columbia University, Musa Mayer worked as a Master's level counselor in the Ohio Community Mental Health system, with a particular focus on groups and women's issues. She has written two memoirs, one about her own journey with breast cancer. Musa is author of Advanced Breast Cancer: A Guide to Living with Metastatic Disease. She is a nationally known and respected breast cancer activist. She has consulted for American Cancer Society, National Breast Cancer Coalition, Y-Me, and many other national groups on survivor issues (providing material for web sites, booklets, videos, and in-person training). She is contributing editor to MAMM magazine (women's cancer). She is a patient advocate for the National Cancer Institute and reviews clinical trials for breast cancer patients, speaks widely at cancer conferences or training sessions, and is active in the online breast cancer community. Musa also regularly teaches memoir writing, and leads writing workshops and retreats for people with life-threatening illnesses.

Edition details

• Publisher: Patient Centered Guides
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1565922549
• ISBN 13: 9781565922549
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 510