Exploding the Enemies Inside Me

Every woman knows something about breast cancer. We've seen bald heads and pink ribbons and maybe even imagined scarred bodies. One in eight women will face her own breast cancer diagnosis. Her cancer experience will be unique. It is certain that the support of friends and family will ease the journey. But, what do you say to someone with cancer? How can you help? "Exploding the Enemies Inside Me" chronicles the author's first ten months as a cancer patient/survivor. She describes the shock of hearing she has cancer, sorting through the confusion about treatment and facing her fear of death. E-mail became a useful tool to notify a large social network of her condition and her progress. Friends responded with words of concern and love, giving the author comfort and a confidence to fight and survive. Those healing words became part of an arsenal of weapons to eliminate the cancer cells. The author offers two lists, "Things That Help" and "Things That Can Hurt" a cancer patient. Along with the many examples of correspondence that made a difference, this chapter provides guidelines to help support your own future survivor.