How We Survived Prostate Cancer - by Victoria Hallerman (Paperback)

About the Book

Finally, a much-needed voice for the spouses and partners of prostate cancer survivors--an unflinchingly honest and beautifully written memoir about one couple's struggles and transformation that serves as a guide for others dealing with the disease.
Facts:
* Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men.
* 90% of the 190,000 men diagnosed annually will be cured.
* 2 million men currently live as survivors.
Though many sources exist for men dealing with this dreaded disease, their partners are often left on their own to figure out how to deal with personality changes and sudden "male menopause," how to redefine love and intimacy, and how to deal with side effects of the treatment.
Victoria Hallerman, an accomplished poet, writes candidly about her and her husband's experience over the last five years, including sections in his voice as well. A manual for surviving what treatments can do to a marriage, her book is both a compelling narrative and a supportive and informational guidebook. It's sure to be a boon to the enormous and ever-growing group of wives and partners of prostate cancer survivors who, like the author, need to be able to answer the question "Who are we now?"

Book Synopsis

In this unflinchingly honest account of one couple's struggles through prostate cancer, told from the wife's point of view, Victoria Hallerman writes poignantly of the six-year journey that changed the landscape of her and her husband's lives. She and Dean had been married 33 years when he got the news and underwent treatment that included radioactive seeds and hormone therapy, with severe and unexpected results.

Both a moving memoir and a supportive guidebook, How We Survived Prostate Cancer is a cautionary tale to make sure others don't make the same mistakes that Hallerman and her husband made along the way. It addresses everything from redefining intimacy to a wife's anger and loneliness in the face of her husband's illness, and offers:

• A compelling personal story of one couple's difficulties and ill-informed choices
• "In Dean's Words" comments on the treatment and its aftermath
• "What We Know Now" nuggets of hard-won advice
• Interviews with wives of prostate cancer survivors
• Treatment options and suggested questions for doctors
• Dr. Peter Albert's Top Ten List for Patients and Partners
• Comprehensive Glossary and Resource section

Review Quotes

"This book is a candid portrayal of the effect that the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer can have on a significant other. Filled with excellent resources, it will enable readers to broaden their understanding of the complexities of different treatment options." --E. Darracott Vaughan, Jr., M.D., New-York Presbyterian Hospital

"Beautifully written--what else would you expect from a poet?--and incredibly helpful. Victoria Hallerman has a marvelous eye for the offbeat detail and an excellent grasp of how a man and his spouse can best cope with the disease, its treatments, and its aftermath." --Marc Silver, author of "Breast Cancer Husband"

"This honest, wise, and generous handbook is especially helpful for that excruciating time after diagnosis and before treatment. Victoria Hallerman adds her intelligence to the growing body of literature that struggles with prostate cancer's medical and social challenges. Perfect to slip into your purse or briefcase for company in the waiting room." --Karen Propp, author of "In Sickness & In Health"

"Well written, with an honest perspective of the journey of living with prostate cancer...Will be a great resource for many couples." --Ali Torre, wife of baseball manager and prostate cancer survivor Joe Torre

"As a 16-years-plus survivor and the founder and facilitator of a prostate cancer support program, I think this book should be kept on the nightstands of prostate cancer survivors as a constant reminder and reference on how to battle this dreaded disease." --Dennis O'Hara, Poughkeepsie (NY) chapter of Man to Man

About the Author

Victoria Hallerman's books of poetry include "The Aerialist" and "The Woman in the Magic Show." Her work has appeared in numerous literary magazines and been anthologized in The Pushcart Prize. Now a committed health activist in her local chapter of Man to Man, a national prostate cancer survivor support network, she is also co-founder of What About Me?, an American Cancer Society support group for men and women whose partners are cancer patients or survivors. She and her husband, Dean, live in New York City.