My Wild Ride: Contents

MY WILD RIDE: HOW TO THRIVE AFTER BREAST CANCER AND INFIDELITY

Buy now on Amazon. Click the links to read CJ’s blogs on some of these topics.  

Introduction

Chapter 1: Double Whammy: Initial Reactions
Why Me?
Musing on Mortality
Building a Support Team
A Champion Advocate: Me
Dense Dame Becomes Screen Queen
Practicing Breast Exams on a Fake Boob
Grades and Stages

Investigating Options
Off with Her Breasts! Angelina Jolie’s BRCA Debate
Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy: My Biased View
Reconstruction Issues

Chapter 2: Cancer plus Infidelity: Stress Overload!
Post-traumatic Stress Versus Post-traumatic Growth
Negative Emotions Begone!
What about Talk Therapy?
Living in the Present
Mumbling Mantras
Don’t Stop Breathing!

Stop that Thought!
Meditation
Gratitude and Forgiveness? Gimme a Break!
Avoiding Nursing Home Incarceration
Think Positive or Die?
Mood Elevators
If You Don’t Laugh, You’re Gonna Cry
Go to the Dogs
Cancer as a Teacher?

Chapter 3: The Chemo Spa
Chemo Diary
Avoiding Lymphedema
Port in a Storm

Side Effects
Vanity in Vain?
Chemo Brain
Fussy about Food
Tight-assed Brit
Fertility Fears

Chapter 4: Radiation: Burn, Baby, Burn!
Prehistoric Procedures
Radiation Options
Radio Diary
Side Effects
Getting Creamed
Sick and Twisted
Smelly Armpits?
Nuke those Hair Follicles!
Radioactive?

Chapter 5: Behaving Badly?
Cheating Husbands
Venting vs. Keeping Quiet
Stay or Go?
Choosing Separation
Choosing Divorce

Cancer Etiquette
Do:
Don’t:
Recognizing “NuqneH”—People Who Want Something from You
Drop ‘Em
Forgive Yourself and Others for “Moo Moments”
Exploit Your Cancer!

Chapter 6: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
The Best of Bald
Naked Noses
Awesome Armpits
Goodbye Hairy Legs
Pitiful Pubes
No More Eye Candy
Grow Back Gripes

Chapter 7: Wacky World of Wigs
Wig Whammed
Wig Training
Wig Mishaps during Sex
Wigs as Status Symbols

Chapter 8: Sex and Cancer
Chemo Concerns
Cancer Celibacy
Bone Dry?
Masturbation as a Chore
Porcupine Sex
Thar She Blows!
Breast Behavior
Costume Party
Playboy Pubes?

Chapter 9: The Alternate Universe vs Cut, Poison, Burn
Pill Popping
Searching for Sleep
Exercise
Food Fight
Medical Tourism in Germany: No Bikini Required
Should I Burn My Bra?
Medical Marijuana
Remote Healing: Long Distance Placebo?
Alternative Therapy vs. the American Medical Association
Dubious Quacks, Both Allopathic and Alternative

Chapter 10: Resting in Peace
Avoiding Hospice Hell
Terminal Diagnosis Malfunctions
Euthanasia Peace Prize?
The Family Jewels
How Divorce Gets Your Affairs in Order
Wills and Won’ts
Burying the Hatchet as Well as the Deceased
Survivor Guilt
A Funeral to Die For
Yearning for Urns

Epilogue

Bibliography
Books
Articles and Research

Endnotes