Cereal for Dinner: Strategies, Shortcuts, and Sanity for Moms Battling Illness

Meet Kristine Breese, the 35-year-old working mother of two, whose first thought after suffering cardiac arrest was about defrosting macaroni and cheese for her kid's dinner. Her heart disease spelled "the end of mommy life" as she knew it, but it also gave her the wisdom to write a practical and poignant book urging moms facing serious illness to find a balance between care taking and self-care. In Breese's view, the expression "sick Mom" is not an oxymoron. But the mom mantra--"I can't get sick--everyone is counting on me," must become, "everyone is counting on me to take care of myself." The title, Cereal for Dinner, is a wise metaphor that urges mothers to lower their standards so they can heal. Strategies and stories from Breese and eighteen other recovering mothers suggest how illness effects a mother, her children, her work, family relationships and future. The specifics are hopeful an helpful---addressing a broad range of issues including the shock of the diagnosis, how to ask for help—and what to ask for, getting what you need from doctors, waiting for test results, the benefits and warning signs when talking to your kids, balancing work with recovery and the challenges of maintaining an intimate marriage. Breese's optimism is sunny and contagious, but she doesn't sugar coat. For example, her suggestions for talking about death and dying are as realistic as they are inspiring. Because of her tender heart and smart suggestions, this book will bless and embolden every person who reads it. --Barbara Mackoff