Bookshelf – Breast Book

The pediatricians in the practice we use have been a great support to our family during this time. The doctor we see most frequently went so far as to call to check on our family immediately after my diagnosis. She also told me to immediately start reading “Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book” (you can purchase a copy here). I told you she was put in my path for a reason! She was even my pediatrician many years ago.

We did have a long weekend that I should have, in theory, been able to get a lot read. I did not get through it or very far to be honest. I purchased and downloaded a copy onto our iPad and That Guy and I read quite a bit. There was not a lot of sleeping going on for either of us, but I was not emotionally ready to read and absorb information like that immediately at that stage. I highly suggest, if you are in that situation and are able, you do read it before meeting with your whole team. I think it would have saved me some going back to ask questions later.

Once we had a newborn and I was going through the tougher portions of my chemotherapy, I found some time to read, but it did take me the better part of the summer to get through it. This was a good and bad way to do this, but since I was just plowing through chemotherapy at that point, it was very important to read before we met with the surgeon and made any decisions beyond the initial treatment plan. It also allowed me to read it when I wanted to instead of creating a stress since obviously not all the information is pleasant.

There is so much helpful information and the way it is presented worked very well for how I learn. Dr. Love is thorough and explains it all in terms that I was able to easily understand. I did use so much of it to formulate questions and understand my own situation better after my initial diagnosis. There was a lot to learn about how breast’s exist in our body and we all know from my post about my initial meeting with my surgeon that I like seeing it all drawn and clearly explained. This was the same type of learning presentation. It walked me all the way through from the basics of anatomy and how cancer works through treatment options, genetics, lifestyle changes, and recurrence. I highly recommend this for anyone who has someone going through the treatment or if you are going through it and want to be able to better understand your situation and communicate with your medical team. I am pretty big on being your own best advocate, but it can be hard. This is one way I was able to do so at my own pace and with a reliable resource.

Are there any books you have read and recommend? I have a few more I will be posting in the future that relate to breast cancer and remission.