Five Lessons I Didn't Learn From Breast Cancer (And One BigOne I Did)
This cancer survivor’s book does not promote cancer as a spiritual gift. This is not a book filled with ‘Look on the bright side’ advice, Lewis says. This is . . . for women who don’t have and don’t want a spiritual makeover after breast cancer . . . and don’t expect breast cancer to fix what’s wrong with them. Furthermore, My only growth was the one removed by my surgeon. Her message throughout is that breast cancer can’t change who you are, it confirms who you are. It did, however, mean shedding illusions, including her self-image as still young with endless options. Ultimately, cancer meant clarification, not transformation. She organizes solid advice, including tips on finding Dr. Right, helping others to help you, and being wary of the attitude police, into easily handled chapters. Throughout a straightforward, fast-paced book, her clarity constitutes reassurance, while her ironic, sometimes painfully self-aware wit is a magnet for those seeking an alternative to the I’m-so-grateful-to-my-breast-cancer literature. --Whitney Scott