"This book represents something that I have long wished I could give not only to my patients and their families, but also to my own family, friends, and neighbors. It . . . Provides a solid foundation upon which one can build an understanding of what might be needed to deal with cancer."-from the Foreword

"Every 22 seconds, 24/7, another American is found to have one of cancer's more life-threatening forms. Ideally, each of those diagnoses should be accompanied by the distribution of a copy of Dave Visel's Living with Cancer."-Daniel J. Lieber, M.D., oncology and hematology, the Angeles Clinic and Research Center, and USC School of Medicine.

"The possibility that this book could be available for oncologists and radiologists to hand to patients at the time of diagnosis is very appealing. We could help save an enormous amount of pain and financial loss."-Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D., Kraft Family Professor of Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Center

"Living with Cancer presents a road map that has been needed for years and should be required reading for those that seek an active role in their treatment for this dreaded disease."- David C. Pulsifer, retired president, BD Healthcare Consulting

You've got cancer. Now what?

It is one among the myriad of daunting questions that the more than 1.3 million Americans who are diagnosed with invasive cancer each year find themselves asking. There is, of course, no simple answer. Cancer does not come with a set of instructions and most people have no real idea of what lies ahead. There are, however, certain things that all individuals affected by the disease can do to help navigate their way though this life-altering ordeal.

As treatment options continue to improve, cancer has ceased to be the definitive death-sentence that it once was. While it remains an extremely serious and potentially fatal disease, today more and more people are surviving their diagnosis-at last count, 10 million in the United States alone. With these staggering numbers, it has become all the more critical that patients and their loved ones learn not how to prepare for death, but rather how to live with the reality of cancer.

In this essential, candidly-written guide, Dave Visel draws on expertise hard-won during his wife's battle with lymphoma. He provides an overview of the varieties of cancer as well as patients' perspectives on all the basic types of treatments available, from surgery and radiation to chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant. Chapters dispel common myths and fears associated with these treatments as well as provide tips on nutrition and physical fitness.

Living with Cancer, however, is not a medical text. Recognizing that the disease not only changes us physically, but has tentacles that affect nearly every aspect of our lives, Visel moves beyond the hospital to provide information and strategies to help with the emotional, practical, and financial effects of a diagnosis. Cancer patients and their partners and family will find the tools they need to make sensible, well-informed decisions on questions ranging from the right time to tell coworkers to whether to travel for treatment. Because medical bankruptcies affect nearly 2 million American each year, Visel devotes several chapters to financial issues, including needs forecasting, creating budgets, applying for grants or aid, and negotiating with insurance companies. Relationship issues, such as how to deal with a difficult parent or whether to reconcile with an estranged spouse, are also addressed.

Breaking down the confusing variety of information and advice that cancer patients face from seemingly every direction, Living with Cancer provides an organized and comprehensive overview of the most useful corporate, government, and non-profit resources available. Anyone looking for help in understanding the full range of personal, professional, and legal issues associated with cancer will welcome this book. As inspiring as it is informative, it is a survival guide in the truest sense.

Dave Visel worked as a reporter and served in the Air Force before he founded an advertising agency in Los Angeles. His first priority in recent years has been support for his wife in her struggle with cancer. He lives with his family in Southern California. Michael Fisch, M.D., is the medical director for the Clinical Community Oncology Program at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Foreword by Michael J. Fisch, M.D., M.P.H.
Preface
Acknowledgments
Quick Starts
Section One: Introduction
Chapter 1: Now What?
Section Two: Orientation
Chapter 2: Personal Decisions
Chapter 3: The Idea of Patient Partnering
Chapter 4: The Patient's New World
Chapter 5: Know the Illness
Chapter 6: Learn the Lingo
Section Three: Team Building
Chapter 7: Deciding Where to Have Treatment:
Chapter 8: Medical Teams:
Chapter 9: The Partner:
Chapter 10: God:
Chapter 11: The Patient's Personal Organization:
Chapter 12: The Patient's Workplace:
Chapter 13: Friends :
Section Four: Supporting Resources
Chapter 14: Health Insurance:
Chapter 15: Public Assistance Law:
Chapter 16: Private Attorney Services:
Chapter 17: Family:
Chapter 18: Charities:
Chapter 19: Support Groups:
Chapter 20: Fraternal Orders and Community Service Groups:
Chapter 21: Gifts and Givers:
Chapter 22: Public Assistance:
Chapter 23: Armed Services:
Chapter 24: Raising Cash:
Section Five: The Illness
Chapter 25: The Personal Side of Being Very Sick
Chapter 26: Nine Easy Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot
Chapter 27: Treatments
Chapter 28: Nutrition and Fitness
Chapter 29: Implants and Replacement Parts
Chapter 30: Transplants
Chapter 31: Vaccines
Chapter 32: Nontraditional Healing Practices
Chapter 33: Things They May Forget to Tell You about Chemo
Chapter 34: Taking Your Medicine
Chapter 35: Time-Step Medicine
Chapter 36: Always Wear Your Game Face
Chapter 37: Getting "Better"
Chapter 38: Easy Cancer
Chapter 39: Tough Cancer
Chapter 40: Dealing with Pain and Nausea
Chapter 41: Recovering from Surgery
Section Six: Related Issues
Chapter 42: Budgeting:
Chapter 43: Care at Home:
Chapter 44: Clinical Trials:
Chapter 45: Personal Health Disclosure Guidelines:
Chapter 46: Project Management Suggestions for Partners:
Chapter 47: Stuff Happens:
Chapter 48: Travel for Medical Purposes:
Section Seven: Relationships
Chapter 49: Basic Patient/Partner Relationships:
Chapter 50: Parent/Child Partnerships:
Chapter 51: When The Patient Is Your Spouse:
Chapter 52: When The Patient Is a Parent:
Chapter 53: When The Patient Is Unrelated:
One More Thing_
Reference Center
White Pages
Yellow Pages
Index