Dear God, They Say It's Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey »

A Friend to Help You Through...

No matter where you are in your breast cancer journey, this book is the companion you need. Whether...

• you've just heard the dreaded diagnosis for the first time
• you're in the middle of decisions and treatments
• you're experiencing the disappoint of recurrence
• or you're several years beyond the initial trauma...

No matter where you are in that journey, you need someone who understands. You need a trusted friend to walk along beside, someone who's gone before you. You'll find that friend between the pages of this book.

This book is yours to use in whatever way serves you best. You can start in the beginning and work your way through, or you can use the detailed table of contents to help you find just what you need for what you are experiencing on any given day.

This Helpful Guide Will Be Your

* Mentor * Record keeper * Journal * Devotional * Prayer guide * And friend

Each chapter includes

• A Sister Shares — stories from breast cancer "sisters"
• Mentoring Moment — lessons learned, helpful hints, encouragement
• God's Love Letter to You — paraphrased scripture for you to personalize
• Journaling Guides — encouraging prompts to help you journal your own breast cancer journey
• And more!

You don't have to make this journey alone. Hope and help await you in the pages of this book, written just for you in your time of need.

Bonus! Sanity Tools Appendix includes

• How to do research
• National contacts
• Decision-making worksheets
• Breast cancer journey map
• Finding your purpose in your pain
• And much, much, more

Publishers Weekly

Thompson became a breast cancer statistic after a routine mammogram revealed a suspicious spot; doctors confirmed it was cancer. This author, founder of Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, experienced the emotional highs and lows, pain and fatigue, and spiritual crisis and victory that come with breast cancer. She shares her story, plus much more, in a book she envisions as "a safe place to document an epic time in your life." Much of her experience is recorded in letters to God, but she also includes the words of others. "Mentoring Moment" sections offer help and advice about the gritty aspects of breast cancer. Most touching is paraphrased Scripture offered as "God's Love Letter to You." Thompson provides both space and encouragement to journal, and her appendices provide valuable resources such as Web sites and recommended reading, as well as space for recording questions, doctor's appointments, medications, contact information and many other details often lost in the trauma and emotion. Thompson's book is a must for any Christian woman facing breast cancer. It's honest, beautiful and cathartic. (Sept. 26) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION: SHARING SISTER TO SISTER

Surviving for a Purpose

Where to Begin?

Journaling

Personalizing and Praying the Scriptures

CHAPTER ONE: MAKING THE ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS

It's That Time of Year Again

The Suspicious Alarm

Setting the Follow-Up Appointment

It's Mammogram Day

This Is Surreal!

Meeting the Breast Specialist

CHAPTER TWO: FACING THE DREADED DIAGNOSIS

Life Is Messy Right Now

It's Diagnostic-Test Day

The Agonizing Wait for Test Results

They Say It's Cancer!

Telling the Family

Who Else to Tell and Who Should Do the Telling?

CHAPTER THREE: PARALYZING SHOCK

A State of Shock

It's All So Confusing!

Becoming "One of Them"

Single and Sick!

CHAPTER FOUR: ASKING WHAT IF? WHAT ABOUT? WHY?

What If?

Maybe It's All a Mistake

What About My Schedule and My Plans?

Why?

CHAPTER FIVE: DEALING WITH PEOPLE'S REACTIONS

People Say the Darnedest Things

Top Thirteen Dos and Don'ts

CHAPTER SIX: PREPARING FOR WHAT COMES NEXT

Putting Together Your Treatment Team

The Planning Conference

Time to Make a Decision

More Waiting

Being a Good Witness

CHAPTER SEVEN: STARTING TREATMENT

Someone's Praying

We're Not Just a Number

It's Time for Surgery

Being Strong for Our Loved Ones

We Need Friends

What Did They Do to Me?

The Hospital Stay Is a Relief

The Lonely Oncology Ward

Your "C-A"

CHAPTER EIGHT: ENJOYING THE GOOD DAYS

There Are Humorous Moments

Feeling Like a Little Girl Again

Lots of Love

CHAPTER NINE: MAKING IT THROUGH THE BAD DAYS

It's Hard BeingBrave

The Journey Can Be Lonely

Elusive Sleep

It Still Hurts

Losing It!

CHAPTER TEN: GETTING NEEDED SUPPORT

A Mentor Helps

It's All about You

Should You Join a Breast Cancer Support Group?

My Family Needs a Support System Too

CHAPTER ELEVEN: KNOWING WHO IS IN CONTROL

Spinning Out of Control

Controlling the Controllable

Seeing God in Control

CHAPTER TWELVE: ADJUSTING TO A NEW NORMAL

"Normal" Isn't Normal Anymore

Where Did Your Energy Go?

Chemo-Radiation Brain

Learning to Receive

A New Need for Peace and Calm

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: ADAPTING TO BODY CHANGES

The Miraculous Creator

Lopsided

To Reconstruct or Not?

An Extreme Makeover!

What About Your Hair?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: COPING WITH THE PRIVATE ISSUES

Good Girls Don't

How Will Breast Cancer Affect Your Marriage?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: GRIEVING THE LOSSES

The Grieving Process

The Steps of Grief

Working through Sadness

It's All Over, so Why Are You Depressed?

Feeling Guilty

Where Were Those You Expected to Be There?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: RESTORING THE JOY!

It Feels Good to Be Happy!

A Transforming Blessing

You Can Rejoice in the Trials

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: DISCOVERING A NEW FOCUS AND PURPOSE

Changing Focus

Finding Purpose in Your Breast Cancer

How Does God Want to Use Your Breast Cancer?

Talking about Your Breast Cancer on Purpose

A New Boldness

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: LIVING WITH BREAST CANCER

How to Let Others Know You're Not Back Yet

You Need an Outlet

It Could Come Back

Eliminating Stress

Releasing Fear.272

CHAPTER NINETEEN: RELYING ON GOD

Can You Hear Him Now?

God Always Answers Prayer

Drawing Close to God

Breast Cancer Tests Our Faith

There Are "Angels" All Around

Our Hope Is in God

CHAPTER TWENTY: MAKING A DIFFERENCE

It Just Takes One Woman

Breast Cancer Sisters

Giving Back

Finding a Cure

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: PRAYING EXPECTANTLY

Pray God's Word

Pray for Your Doctors

Pray for Everyone Touched by Your Breast Cancer

Pray for All Your Breast Cancer Sisters

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: ENDING AT THE BEGINNING

Preparing for the Inevitable

We've Only Just Begun!

APPENDIX A: REMEMBERING WHEN

Dates That Changed Your Life

Memory Notes

Picture Me...

APPENDIX B: SANITY TOOLS

Doing Research

Research Notes

National Contacts

Books Janet Found Helpful

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Peacekeeping Worksheet

Appointments, Appointments, Appointments

Appointment Notes

Oh No! I Just Remembered...

Questions-and-Answers Note Page

There's the Phone Again

Phone Notes

We Are in This Together

My Medical Team

Important Information about My Medical Team

Additional Numbers Others or I May Need

Keeping Good Records

Taking My Meds

My Breast Cancer Journey Map

My Support and Help Team

Minding the Doctor

Bless You! Here's Where I Need Help

When I Need Comfort or Someone to Talk To

Who Will I Call or Where Will I Go When I Am Feeling...

Where Can My Husband and Family Go for Comfort?

Support System for My Family and Friends

My Breast Cancer Purpose and Plan

Prayer-and-Praise Journal

Express Yourself!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT HIS WORK MINISTRIES

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO CONTACT JANET

NOTES