Navigating Life with a Brain Tumor (Brain and Life Books)

I was told to read this book upon meeting my Neuro-oncologist for the first time. I had already been going through the process of getting a tumor partial removed in hospital and was proceeding with the "next steps". Nothing was easy in the year of 2020 with covid being the main pain. With that cause many many reschedulings and delays to my process at least. This book was extremely helpful my only wish was that I had gotten it sooner or recommended to me sooner. It was an odd feeling of knowing exactly about what was going on or being explained because I was currently or had already gone through it. But again the book was dead on with what I was doing it how I was feeling / thinking. So the book is quite good at explaining what's going on, or explaining what's going on within your body. So I highly recommend it to someone who is just about to go through all of this. Like I said I wish my doctor had recommended it about 3 months earlier in my case. But it was extremely helpful none the less. And I think is a good read for family also if they have a loved one going through it as well. I had about 3 family members looking to read it after I had.

I suppose because my partner's case was a GBM there are more intricate issues that are not brought up in this book, but overall, it's like a dictionary of terminology for the most part.I would like to have seen the topic of the SHUNT in there, an explanation on how if at all, it effects the daily life of the patient. My partner's shunt surgery more than likely caused his meningitis, also a topic not brought up as a risk for someone who might have multiple surgeries. 37 days in the hospital, I saw 3 other shunt patients, so I know it's common enough to address. The book doesn't even define a shunt.Also, there isn't much to read about clinical trials. It's mentioned, but not really defined per tumor type.Lastly, cognitive changes is common, if not expected in every patient. How to understand and cope with those changes could be a great topic to address as well. Cognitive gets about a page in the book.Overally, it describes the types of cancer well (and is less scary than the online statistics), and radiation is clearly defined. Everything else is like a small blurb.It's worth the buy as a go-to guide, but don't expect to have all your answers here.

Very helpful information in understanding my own brain tumor and navigating life with it! It's a comprehensive resource in three parts -- Part 1 "Where Do I Begin?" includes an Introduction section and chapters in understanding brain tumors, getting a diagnosis, getting help you need, understanding your prognosis,and understanding radiation therapy considerations. Part 2 "How Do I Deal With This?" includes information on Lifestyle Management, Symptom Management (The Big Picture), Caregiver care during your Treatment, future planning and managing personal affairs, trusts, power of attorneys, conservatorship, wills, etc. Part 3 "What Can I . . . Do About It?" covers issues related to different types of tumors, i.e., benign, primary, and metastatic brain tumors. Also included is a Glossary, a guide to drugs prescribed for brain tumors, and short bios of the various authors and contributors to the book. I so appreciate this book!

I have recently been diagnosed with a low grade brain tumor and I bought this book because it looked like it would help me cope and answer some questions...let me tell you......DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU ARE COPING WITH A MALIGNANT, HIGH GRADE, DANGEROUS TUMOR and you KNOW your prognosis. This book is very much a book about coping with a LIFE THREATENING brain tumor. The book is informative about the different lobes of the brain and how brain tumors grow but the book may NOT cover YOUR SPECIFIC TUMOR ( mine wasn't discussed) and there are chapters about settling your estates and your Will......so I found it incredibly morbid and a little scary for ME. They give treatment options and descriptions which I will bring to ask my oncology team....but they also mentioned life expectancies for the tumors discussed..... So it was a little scary to read while I'm coping with what I have....and trying to remember what my neurologists told me about my own situation......it's written by neuro physicians so I trust the science included....but this book can be a little unhealthy to read if you are like me...and you are in the early stages of coping/prognosis when you are very vulnerable and desperately wanting answers......I hope this helps other patients because I was feeling positive about my prognosis until reading this book...and then I took many steps backwards waking up with feeling of fear again...TRUST YOUR NEURO TEAM FOR ANSWERS ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC TUMOR . BE PATIENT. BE PEACEFUL. BREATHE. LAUGH. SEE A FRIEND. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! GREY MATTERS!!!

I thought it was very helpful to us patients that have been recently diagnosed with glioblastoma grade 4. I would have liked to know more about patients feelings in copping with this diagnosis.

Clearly explains everything, Answered a lot of my questions and clarified different things

I am still reading the book, but I purchased it when I saw that one of the authors is my current oncologist (who knew?). I like to read as much as I can about my condition and this book explains things in an easy to understand format.

Fantastic book for anyone dealing with brain tumors! We are so fortunate to have the author, Lynne Taylor, as our neuro oncologist, and this book has been the best form of schooling / therapy / information possible. If you find yourself in this hideous situation, please purchase this book, and you'll find an extremely readable wealth of information. Good luck to you!