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Beware of Falling Coconuts: A moving yet humorous journey through breast cancer
“Give me a year of your life and I will give you your life.”
I can’t really remember the conversation that followed, I felt like a child sitting in the headmaster’s office. This was serious, this was actually happening. Why couldn’t I react? I was 49 years old. A wife, a mum, but cancer has no prejudice.
Despite the grueling treatment, I was inspired by the courage of others who showed me that there was humour to be found even in the most bizarre situations. From losing my hair to losing my memory, there was one clear message: I lost my boob, not my sense of humour.
“As nurses we try to empathise with our patients, but I don’t think we truly fully understand what our patients go through. This has opened my eyes… I laughed and I cried when I read this book.”
– Anne Scott, senior practice nurse.
“I would recommend this book to anyone experiencing cancer in their lives. Gillian shows such humility and gratitude for all the help she has received throughout her arduous healing sojourn. It is a privilege and a joy to have read this very inspiring book.”
– Margaret R. Craig, reiki master/teacher, holistic practitioner, nurse.
“I inhaled this honest, real, and hugely informative book, which lifts the lid on what happens to millions of women with breast cancer diagnosis. Diaphragm-shudderingly touching and extremely funny, Gillian is a natural storyteller and this is a life affirming read.”
– Karen Murdoch, BBC.
“It’s amazing, it’s insightful, it’s funny, it’s sad and it’s bonkers. There are monologues, there is poetry, and there is a true manual of cancer. I cried, I laughed and I feel very privileged to have read it.”
– Ali Park, comedian.
I can’t really remember the conversation that followed, I felt like a child sitting in the headmaster’s office. This was serious, this was actually happening. Why couldn’t I react? I was 49 years old. A wife, a mum, but cancer has no prejudice.
Despite the grueling treatment, I was inspired by the courage of others who showed me that there was humour to be found even in the most bizarre situations. From losing my hair to losing my memory, there was one clear message: I lost my boob, not my sense of humour.
“As nurses we try to empathise with our patients, but I don’t think we truly fully understand what our patients go through. This has opened my eyes… I laughed and I cried when I read this book.”
– Anne Scott, senior practice nurse.
“I would recommend this book to anyone experiencing cancer in their lives. Gillian shows such humility and gratitude for all the help she has received throughout her arduous healing sojourn. It is a privilege and a joy to have read this very inspiring book.”
– Margaret R. Craig, reiki master/teacher, holistic practitioner, nurse.
“I inhaled this honest, real, and hugely informative book, which lifts the lid on what happens to millions of women with breast cancer diagnosis. Diaphragm-shudderingly touching and extremely funny, Gillian is a natural storyteller and this is a life affirming read.”
– Karen Murdoch, BBC.
“It’s amazing, it’s insightful, it’s funny, it’s sad and it’s bonkers. There are monologues, there is poetry, and there is a true manual of cancer. I cried, I laughed and I feel very privileged to have read it.”
– Ali Park, comedian.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2019
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 5, 2020
This is a very emotional memoir about going through the harrowing stages of cancer treatment and surgery with courage as well as great wit and humour. The author mentions alternative tools such as Reiki and meditation that helped her cope with pain and fatigue and most importantly the support from family and friends. The latter cannot take away the suffering but I walk away from this beautiful book thinking that who we choose to surround ourselves with is very important. Ultimately great loving relationships are what makes life worth living. I'm sure this book will also help others in a similar situation to be better prepared.
November 17, 2020
Thank you Love Books Tours for having me on this book tour and thank you Gillian McNeill for my gifted copy!
This is a memoir about Gillian's breast cancer journey and successful treatment. It shows that you can find humour in bizarre situations.
Let me tell you, I wish I had this book last year when my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer.
It was an unknown world then, where I read many books and blogs and articles and forums. I asked the most common and random questions to everyone in forums so I felt supported and less alone... because, you know, some people disappeared once they get these news.
Gillian breaks it down easily in this book. What to expect and what to do about it. Everything from a humorous perspective which is needed when you go through something like this, especially if you have a family of your own. It is not easy for children to deal with these news.
I know not everyone deals with things the same way, but for us to treat this as a part of life in a similar way that Gillian did, it did help a lot. I think that, if Gillian had been in the same chemo room, we all could have become friends. I would definitely have encouraged her to buy colorful wigs!
And I also think that everyone should read this book, whether you know someone who is or has been going through this or not. It is important to educate ourselves and make it a part of the conversation.
This is a memoir about Gillian's breast cancer journey and successful treatment. It shows that you can find humour in bizarre situations.
Let me tell you, I wish I had this book last year when my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer.
It was an unknown world then, where I read many books and blogs and articles and forums. I asked the most common and random questions to everyone in forums so I felt supported and less alone... because, you know, some people disappeared once they get these news.
Gillian breaks it down easily in this book. What to expect and what to do about it. Everything from a humorous perspective which is needed when you go through something like this, especially if you have a family of your own. It is not easy for children to deal with these news.
I know not everyone deals with things the same way, but for us to treat this as a part of life in a similar way that Gillian did, it did help a lot. I think that, if Gillian had been in the same chemo room, we all could have become friends. I would definitely have encouraged her to buy colorful wigs!
And I also think that everyone should read this book, whether you know someone who is or has been going through this or not. It is important to educate ourselves and make it a part of the conversation.
November 21, 2020
It takes courage to write such a book as Gillian McNeill has written. Her story of cancer, her experiences, memories, and her triumphant win over it. No matter how lightly you decide to take it, the experience of the discovery, the mastectomy, and the radiation treatment must have been harrowing without a doubt.
I loved the title. It immediately gives an impression that although the book's theme is sordid-cancer, the author has a light side to her, and she is going to be fun to read.
I shed tears many times, not because of the pain and suffering Gillian went through (of course, I felt the pain) but because I was laughing-out-loud non-stop owing to the author’s hilarious sense of humor.
The book took me back to the horrors of my hospital days during the birth of my daughter. I could not help but relate to the fact that no matter how much everybody tells you how it’s going to be, each baby is different, and hence each pregnancy is different. Every experience is new and scary and sometimes too embarrassing. So is fighting cancer.
Gillian’s story re-emphasized the value of family support for me and reminded me that there awaits a beautiful morning beyond the darkest of night.
Full Review https://mrusbooksnreviews.com/beware-...
I loved the title. It immediately gives an impression that although the book's theme is sordid-cancer, the author has a light side to her, and she is going to be fun to read.
I shed tears many times, not because of the pain and suffering Gillian went through (of course, I felt the pain) but because I was laughing-out-loud non-stop owing to the author’s hilarious sense of humor.
The book took me back to the horrors of my hospital days during the birth of my daughter. I could not help but relate to the fact that no matter how much everybody tells you how it’s going to be, each baby is different, and hence each pregnancy is different. Every experience is new and scary and sometimes too embarrassing. So is fighting cancer.
Gillian’s story re-emphasized the value of family support for me and reminded me that there awaits a beautiful morning beyond the darkest of night.
Full Review https://mrusbooksnreviews.com/beware-...
December 15, 2020
Originally published here: https://joyfulantidotes.com/2020/11/1...
I read this book in one sitting. Not just because it is a relatively short read but because it was so beautiful I didn’t want to stop. When I mention beautiful writing, it is likely that the first thing you thought of was poetic, imaginative prose. That’s not what makes Beware of Falling Coconuts beautiful. It is how Gillian deals with her diagnosis, as well as the loss of her mother and mother-in-law to cancer. It is how she is determined to pull through but still live her life as she undergoes treatment. It is how she is open and frank about her journey.
All of us are touched by cancer in one way or another throughout our lives. Yet, it is something that we feel uncomfortable talking about. I’m grateful to Gillian McNeill for writing this book because it showed us the value of being frank about this horrendous disease, while also being real about what it entails. There were times when reading Beware of Falling Coconuts when my chest tightened with anxiety – that’s a testament to how raw this book is.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this book is all doom and gloom. The title and cover alone should give you an idea of the level of humour involved. Struggling with cancer (or having someone in your life who is) doesn’t mean you can’t laugh anymore. I learned that this year. In fact, it is those instances where you laugh together about something ridiculous that create lasting memories. Gillian McNeill has a great sense of humour and that shows through so well in this book, showing that there can still be a happy side to life when cancer is involved.
If you liked The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes, you will love this real-life account of a cancer struggle – thankfully with a happier ending.
I read this book in one sitting. Not just because it is a relatively short read but because it was so beautiful I didn’t want to stop. When I mention beautiful writing, it is likely that the first thing you thought of was poetic, imaginative prose. That’s not what makes Beware of Falling Coconuts beautiful. It is how Gillian deals with her diagnosis, as well as the loss of her mother and mother-in-law to cancer. It is how she is determined to pull through but still live her life as she undergoes treatment. It is how she is open and frank about her journey.
All of us are touched by cancer in one way or another throughout our lives. Yet, it is something that we feel uncomfortable talking about. I’m grateful to Gillian McNeill for writing this book because it showed us the value of being frank about this horrendous disease, while also being real about what it entails. There were times when reading Beware of Falling Coconuts when my chest tightened with anxiety – that’s a testament to how raw this book is.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this book is all doom and gloom. The title and cover alone should give you an idea of the level of humour involved. Struggling with cancer (or having someone in your life who is) doesn’t mean you can’t laugh anymore. I learned that this year. In fact, it is those instances where you laugh together about something ridiculous that create lasting memories. Gillian McNeill has a great sense of humour and that shows through so well in this book, showing that there can still be a happy side to life when cancer is involved.
If you liked The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes, you will love this real-life account of a cancer struggle – thankfully with a happier ending.
November 24, 2020
This book is about her journey. The authors journey and experience with breast cancer. The details that she gives with how the mammogram process is done and what happens is helpful and saddening. It seems so painful and something worrisome. I know I accompany my mom to her appointments and I seen how painful it feels for her. “There needs to be a better process.”that is true and I agree. I enjoy the story very much. Ive cried and hoped. There is laughter, love and hopefulness in this story. I recommend it.
January 16, 2021
(TW: Cancer)
Gillian MacNeil’s honest account of dealing with a cancer diagnosis will trigger all sorts of emotions in the reader. It’s raw and it’s real, but written in such a down to earth and almost irreverent manner. This, I’m sure was not an easy book to write but Gillian handles a very sensitive, difficult subject with grace and tenacity and an incredible sense of humour. This book will make you laugh, make you cry and make you think - you can’t ask for much more than that from a book, can you?
Gillian MacNeil’s honest account of dealing with a cancer diagnosis will trigger all sorts of emotions in the reader. It’s raw and it’s real, but written in such a down to earth and almost irreverent manner. This, I’m sure was not an easy book to write but Gillian handles a very sensitive, difficult subject with grace and tenacity and an incredible sense of humour. This book will make you laugh, make you cry and make you think - you can’t ask for much more than that from a book, can you?
November 16, 2020
A truly honest and captivating experience of Gillian and her journey with breast cancer. Whilst i work for breast screening this gave me the prospective of the ladies receiving their treatment and the feelings and emotions they feel going through their chemotherapy and other treatments.
In her encounter you see the good and the bad side of Cancer and how she felt, an honest encounter and how much positivity she had even when times where hard. An uplifting book in dark times.
In her encounter you see the good and the bad side of Cancer and how she felt, an honest encounter and how much positivity she had even when times where hard. An uplifting book in dark times.
December 27, 2019
This book is brilliantly written. The author, an actress, gives deep insight into her journey through breast cancer, yet does so in an imminently readable manner. My emotions were all over the place, swinging from empathy to laughter and joy in equal measure. There were laugh out loud moments and through it all Gillian McNeill keeps her sense of humour. Every woman should read this book.
December 8, 2019
Loved this book. Written with family at heart of the story.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews