GETTING THINGS OFF MY CHEST
A Survivor’s Guide to Staying Fearless & Fabulous in the Face of Breast Cancer
By: Melanie Young
Published: August 11, 2020
Publisher: Plain Sight
Non-Fiction
This post contains affiliate links.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and I can’t think of a better time to share this informational book with you. I’m guessing that you know someone who has been affected by breast cancer. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, I know too many women that have both survived and lost their battle with breast cancer. Since it runs in my family, it is something I take very seriously, doing monthly self-checks and getting mammograms every year since I was 18.
I wasn’t familiar with Melanie Young before reading this book, but Melanie is a well-known radio host, Certified Holistic Health Coach, and breast cancer survivor. She has updated her book with this third edition including an update on her recalled breast implants as well as new information for caregivers regarding COVID19.
Even though I haven’t suffered from breast cancer, I found this book to be so jam-packed with helpful information, but told in a way that I felt like I was getting the information from my best friend. Melanie begins by explaining that she loves to travel and for all her trips she makes lists and does her research. So, on this breast cancer journey, she is taking you on a trip to Cancer Land and is hoping to give you all the information to get you back home again. I really believe that she has left nothing out. She gives you everything you need to handle this journey with all the tools, tips, and tricks you, as well as your family of caregivers, need to be the most prepared.
There were so many things I hadn’t thought about in relation to comfort after surgery including skincare, sleeping, and meals. She covers all the various types of breast cancer, the treatment pros and cons, a thorough yet easy to understand list of drug choices, and the questions you should be asking your doctors. She offers the information with witty banter to make this serious topic light and easy to read. Chapter 6, “The Road to Reconstruction”, starts with the quote, “Of course these breasts are fake – my real ones tried to kill me.” Each chapter includes tips and wisdom from women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Young has included recipes for drinks, snacks, and soups perfect for healing. There is a whole chapter dedicated to wigs, if that is a route you choose to take. But, she is clear that wigs may not be for everyone and there are other, possibly more desirable, options for head coverings.
I really appreciated her honesty, not holding back on the bad stuff and her joy over the good things in life. This is a book I would definitely give to anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, along with a shawl, and some fresh fruit and sparkling water.
Melanie Young wants to helps women face challenges with grit and grace and re-frame them to make things happen for the better. An Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, she helps others reclaim their lives on healthier, happier terms. She a motivational muse for anyone who feels stuck and who wants to reignite their personal or professional brand and she is a living example of turning her own stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
After surviving breast cancer, Melanie wrote her first book to help newly diagnosed women stay focused and make smarter choices about caring for their well-being during and after treatment.
Melanie hosts a weekly national radio show, “Fearless Fabulous You!” where she interviews inspirational women and experts in the area of wellness, health, and beauty. Melanie also worked in the wine and food industry for more than 24 years as a marketing consultant. With her husband, wine writer David Ransom, she runs The Connected Table, providing wellness and business coaching and producing wine and food educational and networking events. For more see the links below or check out her website, HERE.
Melanie’s Radio Shows:
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/209-fearless-fabulous-you-27073519/https://www.iheart.com/podcast/209-fearless-fabulous-you-tips-27526131/
The Connected Table LIVE (W4CY Radio + iHeart)
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/209-the-connected-table-live-27073513/
To purchase a copy of GETTING THINGS OFF MY CHEST, click the photo below:
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, breast cancer awareness, Melanie Young, non-fiction