From the Bookshelf of RN_select_all_books_that_apply…

[close] Holes like winter potholes dot my broken head,
They quickly fill with mud and make a flower bed.
Green grass covers the holes, flowers begin to bloom,
Dandelions and violets take over the holy gloom.
Sorrow like water seeps through my ailing brain.

It soothes the worried soul, eases the gnawing pain.
There is no point to worry having a grassy head.
It's funny,
It giggles and chuckles,
It laughs and dreams,
It's not dead. 123

My goodness, but I loved this one. Couldn't put it down! Barbara Lipska shares her incredible journey surviving metastatic melanoma. She describes in detail her descent into dementia and her unlikely recovery; sharing intimate details of her life throughout this terrible journey. Her book is a gift for those enduring cancer, as well as for advancing the knowledge of treatment. She's an incredibly strong and brave woman, especially in sharing her story. She shares the good and the bad, and doesn't skimp to preserve her image. It's humbling.
I read this on the heels of Every Deep-Drawn Breath in which Wes Ely, MD, describes the importance of early mobility (among other things) in recovering from post-intensive care syndrome (POTS)(my review). While Barbara Lipska does not credit her survival with exercise, I couldn't help wondering if the fact that she was an athlete, and continued to work out during her illness and recovery, was a part of her success. Maybe a large part of her success? She also had a habit of eating nutritiously. It has been shown that diet and exercise can stave off and lessen the effects of alzheimers, so why not also brain cancer? Actually, she's incorporated all of the steps which Wes Ely, MD, promotes for best survival with POTS, including social supports. Barbara Lipska had a strong circle of beloved family and friends supporting and upholding her through this difficult trauma.
Honestly, this book feels like a gift, and as a reader I feel privileged to have shared in Barbara's journey, and all that she chose to share of her private life with us.

I was forced to put aside my own triathlon training after getting sick in January, although throughout this whole ordeal, I've never stopped working out - almost every day, no matter how I felt, I ran, walked, swam, or cycled. Today, as always, I'm eager for some physical activity. Even at the not-so-fast pace I now take, walking in the woods relaxes me. With my loved ones around me, it will be a great escape from the doctors and hospital rooms. 124

Excellent, good read.