Review by Margaret Graham
Many of you will be familiar with Frost Magazine’s Dr Kathleen Thompson’s regular health features, which are topical, succinct accessible and helpful.
It is no surprise, therefore, that Dr Kathleen Thompson brings just the same skills to From Both Ends Of The Stethoscope – Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows.
This guide should be read by anyone with cancer, or given to anyone we know with the disease. Not only that, it should be read by relatives who are suddenly thrust into a unexpected supportive role, which leaves them as confused and upset as the patient.
In the guide, Dr Kathleen Thompson has the courage to use her personal experiences of breast cancer to explore the situation. She acknowledges not only her reluctance to face up to the symptoms, but her initial fear and confusion as she adjusted to this change in her fortunes.
As a medical insider, she reflects and applies her understanding of the medical procedures brought to bear to counteract the progress of the disease. She suggests the questions patients could, or perhaps should ask. She explains the possible treatments, (remember, that knowledge is power).
This is the key to the guide, it seemed to me: it is important for the patient to take control of the situation, and for the relatives to support this stance. To control a situation you need education because education leads to knowledge, which leads to power. Here I must acknowledge the fantastic Andy McNabb, who made this suggestion in a talk he gave. I thought it profound, and use it often.
Indeed, everyone should keep it as a mantra.
I loved, particularly, the chapter on how patients manipulate the staff to achieve, or not, the results they require – read it, learn, and laugh.
Sensibly laid out, each chapter is easy to navigate. In other words, it won’t be too much or too difficult for those under stress.
Importantly, the author explains medical research, and how to assess the credibility of the numerous cancer treatment claims, and what we can all do to protect ourselves from cancer.
This is an important book, in either e-book or paperback.
Published by Faito Books it is available on Amazon.co.uk at £12.99
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0993508308