Mani-Pedi STAT Memoirs of A Jersey Girl Who Almost Lost Everything

A laugh-out-loud funny, sassy, helpful, and profoundly honest memoir, Mani-Pedi STAT chronicles Deb Ebenstein’s two bouts with cancer, and a rare blood disorder, between the ages of sixteen and thirty-three. Navigating cancer treatments while continuing to balance real life and then returning to a world she doesn’t quite recognize anymore, her story is told through the eyes of a bright-eyed Jersey girl who loves boys, sports, fashion, and ultimately a family of her own.

Deb discovers that at the very worst of times—when her body is bloated and her future is uncertain and bleak—that the generosity of girlfriends, family, and a good mani-pedi can lift the spirits and help her thrive and survive. Mani-Pedi STAT is for survivors, friends of survivors, and memoir lovers alike. It will bring patienthood to life in ways that make you laugh and cry at the same time, and along the way you might learn a thing or two for your next trip to the doctor’s office.

Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease at age 16, Deb Ebenstein underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. At 28 she tackled a rare blood condition that warranted months of hospitalization, surgery, and more treatment, and at 34 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, eight weeks after the birth of her son. For the past 18 years, Deb has spent her Sunday nights soaking, massaging, and painting her nails to perfection, and has realized this seemingly standard event is anything but trivial. She lives in New York City.