Notes

• "In the summer of 2003, forty-two-year-old Carolyn Kaelin, M.D., was the devoted mother of two beautiful children, a loving wife, and a highly respected breast cancer surgeon and the director of the Comprehensive Breast Health Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, one of Harvard Medical School’s main teaching hospitals. During the previous six months, she had been training for the 190-mile Pan-Mass Challenge bike ride, a fundraiser for cancer research. Barely two weeks before the ride took place, Dr. Kaelin discovered that the, herself, had breast cancer." "She learned firsthand, as few physicians ever do, about the challenging emotional and life changes facing breast cancer patients. And she came to understand how this disease can eat away at a woman’s innermost sense of self." "Living Through Breast Cancer is a source of information, understanding, support, and guidance for women dealing with breast cancer. A leading national expert on breast cancer, Dr. Kaelin explains with compassion and in plain English the science behind the disease while defining many medical terms and concepts that may be unfamiliar. She describes your options at every stage - from diagnosis through treatment, recovery, and beyond - so you can work with your doctors to make the most informed decisions possible. She shares hard-won knowledge on dealing with the physical and aesthetic changes you may undergo during treatment, while filling you in on diet and exercise techniques that can help you look and feel your best during treatment and may lower your risk of a recurrence of the disease."–BOOK JACKET