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Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy
by Geralyn Lucas
St. Martin's Press
ISBN 0-312-33446-X
Published October 2005 - Paperback - 208 pages - $12.95

Quite possibly, the most horrifying thing a woman can do, is to discover a lump in her breast.  Even worse, to discover that it's malignant.  Geralyn Lucas, just twenty-seven years old, went through this scenario.  What was she going to do?  Lumpectomy or mastectomy?  What a decision!  With humor and optimism, Ms. Lucas tackles her devastating diagnosis bravely and openly shares her innermost feelings.  Sometimes outrageous (why not!) as she contemplates the different stages of her cancer.  Thankfully she had the support of her husband (a doctor), and her mother, and family and friends.  Geralyn reminds us how foolish we can be in our everyday lives - worrying about what others might think; am I wearing the right "look"; too much or too little makeup, and all those wasted moments of unnecessary worry.  In the longrun, who actually gives a damn, I have to ask.  Live your life for you - no one else.  Hearing that she had cancer at such a young age, having to contemplate chemo vs radiation (or both) was bad enough, but she and her husband wanted children and her doctors said after the operation and treatments, she may have an early menopause.  No breaks, huh?  This gutsy book deserves to be read by everyone - everyone and anyone could get cancer.
Here are just two of the cancer contacts from her book: Young Survival Coalition, and Breast Cancer.org.
Conclusion - Bold is word I'd use to describe her book.  Thank you for opening our eyes - take care.