AfterShock: What to Do When the Doctor Gives You--Or Someone You Love--a Devastating Diagnosis by Jessie Gruman

From the Publisher

Every year millions of Americans are diagnosed with cancer, stroke, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, ALS, and other life-threatening or life-altering diseases. When faced with a devastating diagnosis people must quickly understand the diagnosis, prognosis, and choose from several treatment options—while still in shock. AfterShock identifies the processes required to respond to a serious diagnosis, regardless of the specific disease.

Social psychologist Gruman offers practical advice in a 10-stage approach to making clear-headed, informed decisions about who to tell and when; how to get a second opinion or find the right doctor and hospital; where to find reliable online information and telephone help-lines about a particular diagnosis and treatment; how to navigate the health care maze; where to turn for support and comfort.
Dr. Gruman not only draws on her expertise in consumer health information and the advice of doctors and nurses, she shares the personal stories of people who have dealt with traumatic diagnoses, including her own experience of having had three different kinds of cancer and a dangerous heart condition. AfterShock is inspiring and empowering, and is an essential companion book to the disease-specific titles that most people with a devastating diagnosis purchase.

Publishers Weekly

Gruman brings thorough research, interviews and personal experience to this informed, accessible guidebook for responding to news of poor health. Diagnosed four times with serious illnesses including cancer and a heart condition, Gruman, a medical journalist and president of the Center for the Advancement of Health, knows firsthand how such information can overwhelm a patient. Her advice is concrete but delivered with empathy and enlivened by testimony of other patients. In clear language, she explains how to educate oneself about the disease, treatment options and specialists; how to obtain the best care, involve the support of family and friends, and handle career-related issues. Gruman includes a useful chapter on dealing with potential health insurance and financial problems, and she suggests strategies for coping with stress caused by living with a disease, such as finding distraction, exploring spirituality or seeking counseling. The detailed appendixes on resources for finding the appropriate doctor and hospital, nonprofit organizations, clinical trials and second-opinion services, among others, are helpful tools for patients and caregivers. (Feb.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Steve Forbes - Forbes Magazine

Here's a book you are not going to want to read but can't live without. You, a relative or a close friend is going to need it. Amazingly, even though tens of millions of us will be given a ghastly medical diagnosis during our lifetimes--cancer, heart disease, MS, among others--there's very little comprehensive, easy-to-access information on what to do once we're given that bad news. Between the ages of 20 and 50 Gruman received such grim news four times--three for various forms of cancer and one for a serious heart ailment. Each time she was thrown into emotional turmoil, feeling as if she'd been "drop-kicked into a foreign country" where the occupants spoke a strange language. Gruman sensibly and courageously decided to put together this book, based on her experiences and those of more than 250 interviewees who had been given devastating diagnoses or were health care professionals. Gruman presents a host of potential situations.

She carefully walks you through the steps you should take, particularly those during the first 48 hours, when you are reeling. Key among them is not to panic and not to rush into making decisions about treatment. If a quick decision is really required, you'll most likely be hospitalized. Otherwise, you have time to get the essential second opinion and to learn about the adequacy of your hospital and credibility of your doctor or doctors. For most illnesses there is no single set treatment. We also must recognize that not all physicians and medical institutions are up to speed on all serious illnesses. Even if you're diagnosed with something that's currently incurable, there are things that can be done, including steps to reduce discomfort. Each of us isdifferent. Some will want to involve family and friends; others may want, for the most part, to get their treatments alone. Especially helpful are the book's appendixes on everything from finding the right doctors and hospitals to handling your finances. (28 Jan 2008)

Library Journal

With his first book, social psychologist Gruman (founder & president, Ctr. for the Advancement of Health) aims to empower patients, and those close to them, with practical and well-organized information about how to use the first few days after a serious medical diagnosis to help those involved make the right decisions for themselves. This is a very sensitively written book, with patient concerns always central and information arranged to avoid overwhelming the reader. Gruman uses various interesting points of view expressed by experts in the field, as well as her own personal experiences, to illustrate key issues and ideas, which helps to confirm that there is no one right way to react to a diagnosis. The mix of topics covered in the ten chapters and eight appendixes includes the factual "Finding the Right Doctor and Hospitals" and a chapter called "Involve Others," which covers interpersonal issues. Highly recommended for all public library and consumer health collections. Elizabeth J. Eastwood, Mesa P.L., Los Alamos, NM Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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