THE SAVING OF GORDON: LIFELINES TO W-I-N AGAINST CANCER

Aldrich JJ, ISBN: 9781439255032, Cost: $19.95, 256 pages; Cancer Lifeline Publications; 2009.

The Saving of Gordon is a heart-wrenching account of Gordon Aldrich's 21/2-year struggle with aggressive multiple myeloma and his eventual death from the disease. Written by his wife, the book recounts how he received incorrect treatment for his disease for 6 months that not only did not stop the disease but actually made it worse before he found a facility that was dedicated to the treatment of multiple myeloma. Although the correct treatment was too late to save Gordon's life, the book provides information that is useful for anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer and their caregiver loved ones.

Section 2 of the book details the W-I-N (Web-Interrogate-Network) method for finding the right oncology team and methods of treatment. Of the three, interrogate is the most important. Aldrich stresses throughout the book to ask questions, ask questions, and ask some more questions. But what if you are not sure what questions to ask? The book has a number of lists of key questions that should be written down and taken along when visiting with a physician. She likens dealing with cancer as a battle that requires strategic planning and preparation to win. A quote from the book was "There is no G-O-D in the word doctor."

Although written for a nonmedical audience in an easy first-person conversational style, there is so much information contained in these pages that even the most experienced nurse can learn something from the book. It should be required reading for nursing students to give them what cancer diagnosis and treatment look like from the other side of the examination table. Recognizing that cancer is different from most other types of diseases because of the numerous options for treatment and knowing how to select the correct ones are essential for winning the battle.