Joni Rodgers lives in Texas, where big hair is a God-given right. It's essential to any waitressing job, prerequisite for a real estate license, as natural as Naugahyde, and as important as Elvis. But at thirty-two, Joni was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and lost her hair to chemotherapy. It's not fun being a bald girl in the Big Hair Capital of America, but Joni managed to hold on to her sanity -- and her sense of humor. With the same amazing ability to laugh at life, and herself, that helped her survive cancer, Joni now recounts her story -- a deeply affecting tale of industrial-strength drugs, healing herbs, love, sex, prayer, kids, career, and the search for a wig that won't make her look like Betty Rubble.Bald in the Land of Big Hair is the hilarious -- and often heartbreaking -- tale of Joni's journey through the badlands of cancer. From D-Day ["D" for Diagnosis] ("Biopsy is one of those terms that snags on the back of the mind -- like IRS or subpoena"), through the red tape of treatment ("Apparently it was a Christian Science HMO; any kind of medical treatment was against their relgion"), through remission ("Surviving cancer is the same as emerging from any of lifes refiningfires"), Joni tells her story with humor, occasional anger, and unflinching honesty. Yet this powerful, moving story is much more than one person's memoir. It is the story of all of us; of anyone who has faced what seemed the worst that life has to offer -- and won."Cancer is not what I am. It's not a gift or a curse. It's not a blessing in disguise (unless that is one dang good disguise!). It's not the scourge of God, not the Red Badge of Courage, nor is it a Purely clinical phenomenon. We are who we are, regardless of a few funky cells. "Thoughtful, inspiring, and gripping, Bald in the Land of Big Hair is a tribute to the triumph of the human spirit, the importance of community, and the imperative of living every day with grace and joy. And a few good head scarves.

This new book, edited by a breast cancer survivor, succinctly relates the experiences, both practical and sensitive, of hundreds of cancer survivors—including celebrities such as Lance Armstrong, Carly Simon, and Scott Hamilton—who candidly relate what helped get them through every aspect of the cancer journey. The wisdom and hope offered in this book will be invaluable to newly diagnosed patients and their families, as well as their doctors and caregivers.

Women who undergo surgery for breast cancer may end up with lymphedema, a painful, visible swelling, usually of the arm. Coming to their aid, Lymphedema lays out the many options for preventing and treating the condition. The book provides information on reducing lymphedema through professional therapy as well as exercise and self-massage, plus helpful illustrations and additional resources. It also tells encouraging stories of women who have dealt with lymphedema successfully. With updates throughout on the latest research, products, and techniques, this new edition features expanded nutrition and exercise sections and covers naturopathy, acupuncture, and Chinese herbal medicine, as well as potential future therapies being tested.

Presents evidence supporting the authors' theory that bras suppress the lymphatic system, causing toxins to accumulate in the tissues of the breasts, leading to a variety of health problems.

Lymphedema is swelling caused by the abnormal accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the skin. Lymphedema can be caused by burns, injury, surgery, radiation therapy, obesity, or circulatory problems. Many breast- and prostate-cancer survivors have, or risk developing, lymphedema. There is also an inherited form. If not treated, lymphedema can be painful and lead to life-threatening infections. This book will help you live well with lymphedema through treatment, self-management, and helpful tips for daily living. It will also help you understand how the lymphatic system works, how lymphedema is diagnosed, how to cope with the emotional challenges of lymphedema, how to find treatment, and deal with insurance issues. Living Well is for those with, or at risk for, lymphedema as well as healthcare professionals, caregivers, and friends and family.

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. (2007)

Skin lymphomas are relatively rare and can be easily misdiagnosed as psoriasis or dermatitis. These lymphomas can be fatal. Consequently, those in training in dermatology and pathology need to have a good understanding of the clinical presentations and the pathological correlates of this challenging disease.This updated edition provides:A full-colour illustrated text and atlas that combines pathology with clinical features and treatmentupdated nomenclature according to WHO/EORTC and WHO classificationsImages to expand the diagnostic potentialCases to enhance the scope for teaching and learning

EMPOWER YOURSELF! Written by oncology experts with over 20 years of experience, 100 Questions and Answers About Lymphoma, Second Edition provides authoritative answers to your questions on lymphoma. Featuring the information you need in one concise, easy-to-read volume, 100 Questions and Answers About Lymphoma, Second Edition is an invaluable resource for newly diagnosed patients, survivors, friends or relatives of either. Now, in its Second Edition, this newly updated text features information on the latest, cutting-edge treatments and medication, Hodgkin s and Non-Hodgkin s lymphoma, natural killer cells, T-cell lymphoma, autoimmune diseases, and much more! Comprehensive, insightful, compact, 100 Questions and Answers About Lymphoma, Second Edition is an essential guide for anyone coping with the physical and emotional turmoil of this disease. Key features include: Diagnosis and classification of lymphoma; Staging and treatments; Coping with lymphoma; Alternative and complimentary therapies; Working during treatment

After more than fifty years as the model of perfect health, anthropologist Paul Stoller suddenly finds himself diagnosed with lymphoma. The only thing more transformative than his fear and dread of cancer is the place it ultimately takes him—twenty-five years back in time to his days as an apprentice to a West African sorcerer. Stranger in the Village of the Sick follows Stoller down this unexpected path toward personal discovery, growth, and healing. Drawing upon an ancient, esoteric tradition, he explores the symbiotic relationship between illness and health, the differences in how disease is culturally perceived, and the stunning capacity of the human spirit to convert adversity into strength and transform knowledge into wisdom.“A courageous and extraordinary book . . . No one coping with cancer today should be without Stranger in the Village of the Sick.” —David Napier, author of The Age of Immunology“Neither a tear-jerking testimony nor a morbid story, Stoller’s riveting narrative is ebullient, enthralling, and altogether celebratory of life. It is also a superb reminder of the transitory nature of our own lives . . . a masterpiece from a gifted writer.” —Jean-Paul Dumont, author of Visayan Vignettes

How many victims of cancer have thought, "If only I could order up a cure"?Rick Murdock could.In an extraordinary book that proves that truth can be stranger than fiction, Rick Murdock tells the dramatic story of his fight against a deadly lymphoma that could only be treated with technology developed by his own biotech company, and the equally harrowing battle for the survival of his company in a bruising legal dispute with a multibillion-dollar medical products giant.Rick Murdock was forty-four years old when he was named CEO of CellPro, a thriving biotech company in Seattle that was reaping the benefits of the biotech boom in the late 1980s and early '90s. Wall Street money fueled the flame of cutting-edge research at start-up companies like CellPro, where dedicated scientists were researching treatments that showed great promise in the fight against cancer and other diseases. But then Rick found a lump in his neck, evidence of the acute mantle cell lymphoma raging through his system. This rare form of cancer had no cure: Without a miracle, Rick would die.At CellPro, Rick found his miracle workers. In a stunning twist of fate, Rick's staff was experimenting with a radical new treatment for advanced lymphomas, though the scientists were months, if not years, away from success. Knowing they were their boss's last hope, these researchers went to work on the experiment that could save Rick's life. If they were successful, Rick would become "patient number one," the guinea pig for a technology that had never been used on humans.         The thrilling race against time to save Rick's life is only part of this remarkable story. For while Rick was fighting for his own life, he was also battling a medical products behemoth named Baxter Healthcare and archaic patent laws that threatened CellPro. If CellPro was put out of business, the promising therapies it had been developing for victims of breast cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and other deadly cancers could disappear. Patient Number One shares the intriguing story of how entrepreneurs and scientists came together to form CellPro, painting a vivid picture of how researchers work tirelessly to come up with new and better treatments for disease, while their financiers play a high-stakes financial game to make money from these medical endeavors. However, in the tradition of books like A Civil Action, Patient Number One is also an illuminating, often scathing look at how medical research is conducted in America today as the bottom line can get in the way of saving lives. Lawyers, politicians, researchers, executives, and investors all want a piece of the biotech pie and will stop at nothing to preserve their special interests, even if it means keeping life-saving treatments from the people who need them.From tense courtroom scenes between the Goliath-like Baxter and tiny CellPro to anxious moments in the laboratory with Rick's staff and Rick's own agonizing cancer treatments, Patient Number One takes readers into the fascinating, frustrating world of medical research and how it directly affects us all.