Books

Books fill and color my life.  They entertain and sometimes reassure me.  I enjoy the many places and  people that I have met in my books, they are my companions and my educators.  In this strange chapter of my life where all that I took for granted has been turned upside down,  I would like to pass along a few titles that have helped me as a newly diagnosed person.  Some have information, all three provided inspiration.  I hope that you find them as helpful as I have.  

A Lucky Life Interrupted by Tom Brokaw.  This book provides a lay of the land for Multiple Myeloma treatment by Tom Brokaw who was diagnosed in 2013 and went into remission the following year.  His explanations of the stem cell harvest process and the bone marrow transplant were good reference material for anyone who might have these procedures.  It helped me understand treatments and processes in a way that made me feel much more relaxed about having them. 

The Beauty of Dusk by Frank Bruni.  A beautifully written account of New York Times journalist Frank Bruni's life which was changed by a stroke that led to the loss of vision in his right eye.  He considers the psychic benefits that come with major health issues as we learn to value the love, beauty and luck that already exist in our lives.    It is mainly focused on blindness, and the loss of eyesight.  The feelings are quite transferable and very beautifully communicated.  It made me feel the privilege of my vision.  So far my favorite read of 2022. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.  Henrietta Lacks' cancer cells replicated so quickly that enormous quantities of them were made and sent to hospitals around the world to be used in cancer research in the early 1950s and on.  It is a very tragic account of a 1951 death by the most virulent strain of cervical cancer and the benefits to modern cancer treatments that the He La cells supported.  Shocking details of how radium was used to try to reduce Lacks' tumors yet probably ended up hastening her death.  Disturbing account of one woman's lonely death and its details which were kept hidden from her family for many years.   Brief but interesting explanation of Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH) tests that are used to detect potential chromosomal abnormalities or genetic mutations.  Humbling.  This book made me feel as lucky as hell albeit devastated for Lacks' family. 


If you have any books to recommend, please write me,  I would be grateful to hear about them.  Your comments help everyone.  Thank you.  

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