HEALING

A former oncology and hospice nurse is forced to navigate the medical system as a patient.

In this revealing and heart-wrenching memoir, Brown takes readers on her journey from nurse to patient following a concerning mammogram. Reflecting on the day of her diagnosis of breast cancer, she describes the type of patient she knew she must be: “passive, undemanding, easy to manage.” As an experienced nurse, she knew easy patients receive better care. What she hadn’t fully expected as a patient was how noncompassionate the medical community could be. Brown candidly shares her experiences with what she calls “DIY cancer care,” including the need to find her own surgeon, wait weeks for potentially life-changing results, and hassle people to get important information. She was also flippantly (and mistakenly) told she wasn’t on the list on the day of her scheduled surgery. “All I wanted after my diagnosis,” writes Brown “was for someone involved in treating my cancer to sit down with me, look me in the eye, and explain my diagnosis, discuss what my prognosis looked like, and clarify my likely course of treatment.” But that never happened. Her experiences as a patient also forced her to reflect on how she treated her own patients. Alternating the narrative between her time as a nurse and as a patient, she passionately shares the range of emotions she felt and offers advice for both patients and nurses who are facing breast cancer. Brown also contends that in the U.S., patients, especially those seeking cancer treatment, are frequently treated differently based on where they live or their ethnicity. The author urges breast cancer specialists to “work to ensure that all women diagnosed with breast cancer receive humane care.” By sharing her story, Brown delivers much-needed advocacy for those who are often ignored or misunderstood.

An essential read for all members of the medical community.