Tales of a Remarkable Breast: One Patient's Googly-Eyed View of Healthcare

No one wants to hear the word cancer, but when a breast surgeon says ‘it’s really bad’, the author asks the doctor why. It turns out the doctor’s choice of words was bad, not the cancer. No cancer is good, but if you’re lucky enough to have invasive ductal carcinoma that’s caught early and given proper treatment, chances are you will be just fine.

Tales of a Remarkable Breast is a candid story of Jane Witheridge’s experience with early stage breast cancer. It begins with the author’s routine mammogram, and follows her through diagnostics, surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy. The healthcare complex and author’s rampant imagination take over her every waking moment, and in an attempt to regain control, Witheridge decides to Google everything the system throws her way – from mammograms to HIPAA, doctor selection to scheduling, and surgery to the business of healthcare.

With the support of her family and friends, Witheridge manages to maintain a sense of humor throughout her journey. In the end, she discovers that ‘ask your doctor’ is more than a pat phrase. It is a concept that she ultimately embraces as her personal gold standard.

In the irreverent and sometimes comical telling of her experience with breast cancer, Witheridge shares observations of a healthcare system that is filled with excellence and riddled with flaws. Her insights into a wide range of topics are informational and referenced. The subject matter is serious, but the author keeps it light through a clear voice and conversational writing style.

Tales of a Remarkable Breast is a story of resilience shared by many women. The author hopes it gives those who have been touched by breast cancer and want to know more, a reason to laugh. Witheridge would like her tale to be standard reading for anyone involved in breast cancer care, but knows this is wishful thinking. But if by chance, her story influences for the better how healthcare is provided in some small way, then the author believes her experience – breast cancer and all - was well worth it.