Publisher Description

When Andrea Hutton was diagnosed with breast cancer, she wanted to know everything. She voraciously read books, articles, and websites and talked to everyone she knew. But nothing prepared her for what the surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation would feel like. Were there tricks that could ease her pain and discomfort What was "fatigue" and how would it affect her At what exact moment would her hair fall out and how Hutton wanted what she could not find: a clear how-to guide for the cancer girl she had become.

Bald is Better with Earrings is Hutton's answer for women diagnosed with breast cancer: a straightforward handbook, leavened with humor and inspiration, to shepherd them though the experience. Warm and down-to-earth, Hutton explains what to expect and walks you through this intense and emotional process: tests, surgery, chemo, losing your hair and shaving your head, being bald, radiation treatments.

Hutton offers a wealth of invaluable advice, from tricks for surviving chemo, to treating your skin during radiation, to keeping track of meds, and includes a practical list of tips for each stage of the process at the end of every chapter. Compassionate, friendly, and shaped by Hutton's first-hand knowledge, Bald is Better with Earrings is the comprehensive, essential companion for anyone dealing with breast cancer.

Notes

A guide to getting through breast cancer, from an author who has survived the disease. Explains what to expect, and provides tips for each stage of the process.

Back Cover

For the one in eight women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, a warm, practical, relatable handbook that dispels the terror and takes you step-by-step through the process, from diagnosis to post-treatment. When Andrea Hutton was diagnosed with breast cancer, she wanted to know everything. She read books voraciously, devoured articles, surfed websites, and talked to everyone she knew. But nothing she found prepared her for what the surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation would feel like. Were there tricks for easing pain and discomfort? What was "fatigue," and how would it affect her? When people gave her a hug, could they tell she was wearing a prosthesis? What Hutton wanted was something she could not find: a clear how-to guide for the Cancer Girl she had become. Bald Is Better with Earrings is Hutton's answer--a straightforward handbook, leavened with humor and inspiration, to shepherd women diagnosed with breast cancer through the experience. Warm and down-to-earth, Hutton explains what to expect and walks the reader through the intensely emotional process of testing, telling loved ones, surgery, chemo, losing hair and shaving one's head, being bald, and radiation treatments. From tricks for treating skin during radiation and keeping track of meds to tips for tying headscarves and preventing lymphedema, Hutton offers a wealth of invaluable advice, organized into practical Top 5 Tips for each stage of treatment and beyond. Compassionate, friendly, and shaped by Hutton's firsthand knowledge, Bald Is Better with Earrings is the comprehensive, essential companion for anyone, or a loved one, dealing with breast cancer, from someone who's been there.

Author Biography

A graduate of Duke University and an interior designer, Andrea Hutton was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 at the age of forty-one. Andrea is now five years out and cancer-free. In addition to continuing her interior design career for select clients, Andrea is a marketing and management consultant. She lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her husband and two children.

Review

"Breast cancer survivor Hutton offers a wealth of insider knowledge on exactly what to expect,...[and] while there is no universal cancer experience, Hutton covers the most likely scenarios in detailed fashion with grace, empathy, and humor." -- Publishers Weekly "This book could be a lifesaver." -- Library Journal "Straightforward, often humorous, no-nonsense, step-by-step, tip-filled text. No single guide can be all inclusive...but Hutton's "Top Tips" will help many." -- Booklist "Bald Is Better With Earrings is exactly what its subtitle promises. In a chatty, girlfriend kind of way, Hutton unflinchingly describes [her journey]. Building on that experience, she offers advice to other patients." -- Washington Post

Review Quote

"This book could be a lifesaver."

Details