Living Proof: a Medical Mutiny. - book review

AORN Journal, May, 2003 by Nancy J. Shatto

By Michael Gearin-Tosh 2002, 334pp $25 hardback

This is an excellent book for health care providers, patients with cancer, and family members and friends of patients with cancer. There are lessons health care providers can learn from this book, including really listening to their patients' wishes and using a team approach that includes patients when developing a plan of care. The author takes readers through the first year of his diagnosis of multiple melanomas by sharing a journal that he wrote about his thoughts, his feelings, and the reactions of others when they found out about his diagnosis. He tells of his search for the correct treatment, his interactions with health care providers, especially physicians, and his final decision about treatment.

The book is divided into two parts, the first detailing the author's first year of living with cancer and the second detailing his seventh year of survival. In the first part, he shares with readers his thoughts and feelings about seeking care and trying to sort out all of the options for cancer therapy. He also discusses why no one therapy is good for all types of cancer. In the second part, the author takes a more philosophical look at his reasons for writing the book.

The author is a fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford University, England. He teaches English literature and is a visiting professor in the overseas department of Stanford University, Calif. Through the years, he has made many friends throughout the world, and he was able to call on their assistance during his research into cancer treatment. He admittedly knew nothing about what life had in store for him. He relied on friends and family members to help care for him and found that he had more friends than he thought.

One of the author's suggestions is always to have someone you trust go with you to medical appointments and take notes so you can go back through information at a later time. He wants readers to know there are many treatment options and that as consumers, they need to study and ask questions about how treatment will affect their bodies. Admittedly, he took a gamble by delaying his treatment and electing an unconventional treatment of nutrition, vitamin supplements, breathing exercises, visualization, and acupuncture, but it was the correct choice for him.

The second part of the book is a philosophical look at why the author wrote the book. His physician presents his case study. The author also includes a detailed reference section and bibliography that are helpful. He challenges readers to take their health care into their own hands and make the best choice for themselves. He also challenges the medical community on giving conflicting advice.

This book is available from Scribner, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; http://www.simonandschuster.com.

NANCY J. SHATTO
RN, MSN, CNOR
NURSE MANAGER
DENVER VA MEDICAL CENTER