In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, this book, again from one of those amazing 2008 Debs, is my last contest. (Group sigh of relief?) It's the story of Gail Konop-Baker's anxiety, fear, anger, and humor over her cancer diagnosis. So I want the winner to be someone whose life cancer has touched. It doesn't have to be you or even someone who reads my blog.
Sidebar: Read this review, all writers everywhere will groan in unison.
Just write me a comment about someone you know or have heard of who deserves to win this book, someone who could use a big warm hug from a person who has walked in their shoes, worried about leaving her children behind and tried to go on with her life.
This is a very brave book from a very brave author. You'll have all WEEK to put in comments since I want every possible person eligible to have a shot at winning this heartfelt and beautifully written memoir. I'll announce the winner on Friday.
End of chat.
One of my neighbors - a very good friend - is battling an aggressive breast cancer (so far successfully) and is doing so with grace and humor. She's Mom to 4 kids under the age of 9 and is weathering her personal storm with minimum impact on them. I'd like for her to have this book.
ReplyDeleteMy aunt D has inoperable, terminal pancreatic cancer.
ReplyDeleteAt least outwardly, she's not concerned about her death; she's more concerned about my uncle T and his life after she's gone. They've been married forever (and by forever, I mean at least thirty-something years because I don't remember them NOT being married). She doesn't want him to withdraw, mope, or fade away when she's gone, and she's afraid he will, so she's making him go out and do...things...while she gets the treatments that may...or may not...prolong her life by a few more months so she can make it through the holidays and into the new year. It sucks - because why can't evil rat-bastards get cancer and good people live without fearing their own body turning against them??
It's not breast cancer, and she won't survive it...but maybe she and my uncle can gain something from reading about another person's experience with the big "C".
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
S,
ReplyDeleteAs you may know, I've already lost three younger siblings to cancer (1 throat cancer, 1 colon cancer and 1 lung cancer). I don't want to read about cancer, even though I applaud those who have written about it as I truly believe it will help some people. I don't want to enter the contest but appreciate what you're doing.
Love and Aloha,
MJ
My mom had breast cancer over 15 years ago. I sobbed in the bathroom at the hospital when the surgeon called me. She is still stronger than I am. However, the main thing I remember is she went to a support group and came home and said, she wasn't going again. When I asked why she replied, because some of these women were idiots. She said there were 70 year old women in the group crying over the loss of a breast and looking disfigured. She was a lot younger than they were and didn't care how she looked. She cared that she was alive. So did I.
ReplyDeleteMy friend Tracy has MS. She has 3 little ones, was just diagnosed and is down in the dumps. She just turned 30. :o(
ReplyDeleteMy dad's girlfriend just went in for a lumpectomy and ended up with a mastectomy. Even in your 60's that's a depressing loss. She's already lost her mother and sister to breast cancer. I'd love to send her the book--I've read exerpts and it seems as if it would be amazing.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win this for a friend of mine who just finished 6 months of chemo after a mastectomy. She is the heart of our group of friends, a super mom and super friend.
ReplyDeleteSuzy, I've been wondering how to tell you this for about 10 weeks now... But your friend and my mom is currently fighting breast cancer. Never wanting anyone to worry, she kept it a secret from the whole family for quite some time - Dealing with the pain and the fear all by herself. She finally shared the news with my dad AFTER she started the chemo and told my brother and I several weeks later - when my father demanded she do so. She finally told her siblings this week and still hasn't told her oldest sister out of fear the news would kill her.
ReplyDeleteShe's now well into her chemo schedule and fighting like a champ - Taking the brutal rigors of the treatment about as well as can be expected. The tumor was very fast growing, though best doctors can tell it hasn't spread elsewhere... She has her good days and bad, but I'm just trying to convince myself that she's eventually going to get better and it's just going to be a tough year.
Sorry I had to tell you about it this way, but if in doing so, I don't win the book for her... :)
Hope you are well. ~TJ