From the Heart: A Woman's Guide to Living Well with Heart Disease »

Kathy Kastan, L.C.S.W., M.A. Ed., is president of WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease and chair of the board of the Memphis American Heart Association. She lives in Cordova, Tennessee.

For the eight million women dealing with the emotional impact of heart disease, an invaluable resource on how to live with renewed confidence and hope

Consumer Connections

An empowered guide on how women can gradually regain their strength and thrive with heart disease. The advice provided is insightful and laid out in concise and realistic terms for the reader . . . The testimonials by other women with heart disease are an additional bonus to the book . . . Recommended.

Foreword   Nanette K. Wenger, MD     ix
Introduction: A New Beginning: From Nightmare to Daybreak-My Story     xi
Beginning the Recovery Process: The First Steps     1
Finding Balance: What Happens When You Go Home     3
Checking Your Emotional Pulse: What about Your Mental Health?     19
Getting the Help You Need     39
Following Your Doctor's Orders: Those Pesky Risk Factors     55
Rebuilding Your Sense of Self     83
Body Image and the Sexual Self: Relaxation and Renewal     85
Coping with Change: Your Family     105
Strengthening Relationships: Friends and Society     131
Negotiating the Outer World     153
Managing Your Work Life: Facing the Challenge     155
Negotiating the Health-care System     185
Becoming an Advocate for Change: The Bigger Picture     205
Recommended Reading     231
Resources     233
Acknowledgments     253
Index     257