Product Description
This text is intended for both newly diagnosed and long-term survivors of the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, their caregivers and loved ones, and for medical personnel who interact with survivors of the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Lorraine Johnston is the wife of an eight-year lymphoma survivor and the daughter of a twenty-year lymphoma survivor. In the years since her husband's diagnosis, she's been involved in a number of support groups that offer emotional and practical support to lymphoma survivors. In the course of her support group efforts, Lorraine has been interviewed regarding the best ways to find reliable medical information using a personal computer and various media such as the World Wide Web. She attempts to dispel the myths that access to sound medical information is cloaked in secrecy and that medical literature is impossible to interpret. Here, she aims to help cancer survivors evaluate accurately the material they locate,Cancer Institute's databases of treatments and clinical trials, and the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE, a collection of over nine million published medical research studies. The book addresses diagnosis and its emotional tumult, finding a good oncologist, the theories and practical aspects of treatment, characteristics of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, side effects and long-term effects of treatment, medical tests and procedures, and prognoses. Other topics of interest examined are coping with hospitalization, stress and its effects on the immune system, sexuality and fertility after treatment, how to interact successfully with medical personnel, and getting support from family, friends, employers and the broader community.
From the Publisher
The sixth most common cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) affect 300,000 Americans. In the fast-moving treatment environment, all but super-specialist MDs find it hard to keep abreast of changes that affect the treatments and lives of NHL patients. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas helps those living with this disease to participate in wise treatment decisions, as well as to cope with tests, treatment side effects, and other practical issues.
