Surviving Cancer: One Woman's Story and Her Inspiring Program for Anyone Facing a Cancer Diagnosis

""When facing a major health crisis, connecting with people is an invaluable lifeline,"" writes Margie Levine in Surviving Cancer: One Woman's Story and Her Inspiring Program for Anyone Facing a Cancer Diagnosis. Call ""friends in the medical field, and then friends of their friends""; call ""hospitals, libraries and health clinics... cancer organizations and holistic health centers""; contact intimates and ""fellow travelers"" (others with cancer) for support. Such networking, says Levine, yields ""information that may be more immediately useful... than what you find in books, because it is first-hand, people-driven, up-to-date, and customized to your specific situation by the questions you ask."" That said, Levine, in a compassionate but matter-of-fact manner, offers an exceptionally helpful book. She suggests small, practical steps that can make a big difference organizationally, such as using a tape recorder and a medical notebook to record information. She outlines alternative therapies (massage, acupuncture, etc.), spiritual and psychological resources and practices (meditation, prayer, journaling), medications, diet and strategies for dealing with MRIs and stress in general. Recommended for anyone with cancer and their loved ones. ( Aug. 14)