Living with Lymphoma: A Patient’s Guide
When neurobiologist Elizabeth M. Adler was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, she learned everything she could about the disease, both to cope with the emotional stress of being diagnosed and to make sure she made the best possible decisions for her treatment. In Living with Lymphoma, she combines her knowledge of lymphoma—both scientific and personal—with the desire to help other patients come to grips with this complex, and often baffling, disease.
Adler thoroughly explains the disease, describing the many different kinds of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the wide range of symptoms, and the various treatment options available. Convinced that understanding lymphoma's biological basis will help patients make better treatment decisions, Adler explains basic cell biology and how the immune system functions. Readers will gain sufficient background to understand and evaluate medical literature, and to ask their physicians questions specific to their own needs.
In the introduction, Dr. Michael R. Bishop of the National Institutes of Health provides a physician's perspective on the delicate nature of doctor-patient relationships in the context of a life-threatening disease—especially the importance of patient education and open communication in making decisions about treatment options and quality of life.
Drawing on her scientific expertise and personal journey—as well as her empathy, passion, and humor—Adler has created a valuable guide for people with lymphoma and the people caring for them. (2007)
Product Details
- Reading level: Ages 18 and up
- Paperback: 424 pages
- Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press; 1 edition (September 30, 2005)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0801881803
- ISBN-13: 978-0801881800
- Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
Customer Reviews
The indispensable guide for the lymphoma patient
It’s been just a month since my non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis became official, and two months since I’ve been aware of the strong possibility. Since then I’ve been engaged in a thorough search for information on the disease, and this is by far the most helpful book I’ve found. It was recommended to me by a good friend, who’s also a lymphoma survivor – with about a year’s more experience in traveling this road than I have. Written by a neurobiologist who contracted NHL herself, this book’s got a powerful, one-two punch of personal testimony and very detailed medical information. Parts of it get a bit technical at times, but they’re easily skipped over or saved for another day. (Better to have too much information than too little, I always say.)
If you’ve got lymphoma, or if you love someone who has, get this book. It will become your handbook on understanding the disease, and dealing with it.
An Excellent Resource
Having read a number of books on lymphoma aimed at different audiences, I was leery of this book. Boy was I wrong – Living with Lymphoma is an excellent book filled with the information that patients, loved ones, and friends can use during diagnosis and treatment. Adler gives a personal touch from the patient perspective without making the book a personal journal and she does not skimp on the medical details you need as each type of lymphoma is different requiring different treatment details.
While no book seems to click with every person, this book is:
- Current as to treatments in use today, not in 1999
- Aimed at a wide audience without skimping or overloading
- Affordable compared to specialized medical texts
If you would like a modern, practical, and affordable book on Hodgkin’s or Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, you should look at Living with Lymphoma first and foremost.
Living with Lymphoma: A Patient’s Guide
I found this book extremely informative. It is from a patients point of view and therefore very sensitive to the psychological element of dealing with the disease. The book is a one stop shop on Lymphoma for those of us who dont need all the medical jargon but would like to understand the words that are spoken to us by our physicians. I would highly recommend it to Lymphoma patients and to their families.
Two books in one!
I still read a great deal about NHL, even though it’s been over 15 years since i was diagnosed with stage 4 mixed small and large cell indolent lymphoma (to use the “old” terminology). This book provides both a highly readable account of the author’s own experience with the disease as well as lots of medical information clearly explained. I wish this book had been available when i was first diagnosed. With my trusty reading glasses, i had no problem reading it and recommend it highly.
Great resource for patients
This book is everything it should be: well written, and even entertaining; thorough and comprehensive, but still clear and easy to understand; intelligently organized and easy to use. In the weeks after my lymphoma diagnosis, I found reliable answers to most of my questions here. Adler tells just enough of her own story to keep things interesting — and unfortunately for her, but fortunately for the reader, she has been through pretty much everything, so she can speak about side effects, procedures, etc. from personal experience. I absolutely recommend it — in fact, any new patient should get two copies, one for yourself and one for your care partner/advocate/concerned relatives. Then you can tell them to look up all their questions here!
Both a scientific and a personal viewpoint and provides consumers with excellent coping strategies
A wide range of library holdings will want to make this a basic reference; from public libraries to college health collections. Neurobiologist Dr. Elizabeth Adler was herself diagnosed with non-Hodkin lymphoma, and had to cope with the emotional stress of diagnosis and many new decisions. Her Living With Lymphoma thus comes from both a scientific and a personal viewpoint and provides consumers with excellent coping strategies. Very highly recommended.
A Must for NHL Patients
I was very pleased to find this book which is not only easy to read (and I am extremely near-sighted) but very informative without going over my head. I think it does an excellent job of providing basic information about the biology of non-Hodgkins as well as the treatment options and personal impact of the disease. I am now nine years past a diagnosis of stage IV marginal zone NHL and six years past treatment with Zevalin. I wish this book had been available back in 1997.
Lymphoma: A must read for the spouse of the cancer patient.
I have heard my husband say to others,” I’m living the cancer and that is all I can handle. My wife takes care of the reading.” I’m in the process of reading this book, even getting up in the middle of the night to find an answer to a question that I might have regarding my husband’s condition; he has non-hodgkins lymphoma. The book doesn’t read like a text book, it reads as a first person account. The author diagnosed with this disease tells us what she went through, and has survived many years post-non-hodgkins lymphoma…..I had read portions of this book in the library, went home and ordered from Amazon.com…. Norma J.Johnson
Absolutely Insightful!
Dr. Adler shares her experience with Lymphoma. My husband was recently diagnosed with lymphoma. This book tells current and factual information regarding diagnosis, signs & symptoms, side effects & treatment. When I can understand the diagnosis, I don’t fear it. I would highly recommend this to anyone with any type of cancer, especially lymphoma. Judith Hafner
Great Book!
This book is a terrific idea for individuals recently diagnosed with Lymphoma. It provides plenty of very useful and direct information that can help cancer patients make vital life-changing decisions. There is also a very useful glossary and index in the back.
Recommended Reading
- lymphatic cancer
- Lymphatic Cancer Definition
- Lymphoma Awareness Products
- Lymphatic Cancer Stage 4
- Non-Hodgkin – Free Book
- Apocaps CX Apoptogen Formula for Dogs (90 capsules)
- Hodgkin Lymphoma – Enhanced Edition: Learn What Is Cause, Risk Factors, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Health Care (Illustrated)
- 21st Century Adult Cancer Sourcebook: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) including Burkitt Lymphoma and Others – Clinical Data for Patients, Families, and Physicians
- Johns Hopkins Patients’ Guide to Lymphoma
- Dying to Have Known
- Diagnostic Pathology: Lymph Nodes and Spleen with Extranodal Lymphomas: Published by Amirsys
- lymph nodes