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When neurobiologist Elizabeth M. Adler was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, she learned everything she could about the disease, both to cope with the emotional stress of being diagnosed and to make sure she made the best possible decisions for her treatment. In Living with Lymphoma, she combines her knowledge of lymphoma -- both scientific and personal -- with the desire to help other patients come to grips with this complex, and often baffling, disease.
Adler thoroughly explains the disease, describing the many different kinds of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the wide range of symptoms, and the various treatment options available. Convinced that understanding lymphoma's biological basis will help patients make better treatment decisions, Adler explains basic cell biology and how the immune system functions. Readers will gain sufficient background to understand and evaluate medical literature, and to ask their physicians questions specific to their own needs.
In the introduction, Dr. Michael R. Bishop of the National Institutes of Health provides a physician's perspective on the delicate nature of doctor-patient relationships in the context of a life-threatening disease -- especially the importance of patient education and open communication in making decisions about treatment options and quality of life.
Drawing on her scientific expertise and personal journey -- as well as her empathy, passion, and humor -- Adler has created a valuable guide for people with lymphoma and the people caring for them.
First of all, this book is a good help for people going through everything involved with lymphoma. Unfortunately the author was, in parts, writing to professionals who already know as much if not more of the disease than she does. This is not a book to read, but a reference - a good one - for what to expect at certain stages of the disease and how it may be handled. Reading it cover to cover is nearly impossible, there is just too much information.
Suddenly I wanted to learn a lot when my partner was diagnosed with lymphoma. This book truly helped and is my bible. Not too simple and not too difficult, it helped us make some informed decisions and to understand what was happening in the confusing world of chemo and beyond. Since the author faced this disease herself, it's very reassuring to hear her story because she is so open about all her fears and hopes. I wish her well and thank her for a wonderful, science-based, practical book that helped us sort things out.
It has been over a year since I bought this book for a family with a person with Lymphoma. It was packed full of info, but as I recall, the print size was a little small for me. I'd just advise you to look at a page online, if small print might be a problem for you.
Dr. Adler's book is the best, by far, of all the popular books on lymphoma. It's informative and easy-to-read. If there is a term you don't understand, you can easily find the term explained with a simple Internet search. I am a lymphoma survivor since 2001. I gave away most of the other books on the topic--they were mostly diaries. Although interesting, the others don't match Dr. Adler's in content that helps one fighting lymphoma.
I was hoping for a book that would give us more practicial information-as the title of the book, "Living with Lymphoma" implies I found most of it very difficult to understand and hard to read. In short the book is too technical for our needs. We just wanted to know, "What does this mean for us,' and " How can we best deal with the my husband's diagnosis of Lymphoma"? I was looking for something practically helpful and encouraging. If that's what you are looking forward this is not the book for you. However, if you'd like to know about T Cells, B Cells and how the cells connect, etc in a very technical manner, this might be the book for you.
One big flaw is that the author, who was diagnosed with cancer again does not talk about the value of a solid support system. In these past weeks since my husband's diagnosis I don't know what we would have done without those who have gathered around us to support and pray for us, which helps us to be and to stay positive. If you are looking at this book because of a recent diagnosis I pray as you read this review God's presence and comfort will lead you to Him. Find a book that gives you hope you don't have to dig for in a way that comforts you and gives you practical advice about what to do and how to do it.