When a Loved One Falls Ill

by Monaghan, Gerri; Monaghan, Brian

• ISBN13: 9780761165071
• ISBN10: 076116507X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-04-28
• Publisher: Workman Pub Co

Summary

The much-needed book for anyone with a loved one facing a serious illness. It is the book that's a bible for how to make the potentially life-or-death decisions that every medical advocate, and every patient, must grapple with'”especially now, as health care becomes ever more complicated. It is the practical blueprint for how to be a successful medical advocate. When Gerri Monaghan's husband, Brian, then a fifty-nine-year-old lawyer at the top of his game, got the news that all of us dread'”a diagnosis of brain tumors caused by Stage IV melanoma with a prognosis of three to six months to live'”she knew that this was a challenge the two of them would fight together. Brian brought his enormous courage, attitude, and reserves of humor, and Gerri, with dogged determination, stood up again and again for what they needed'”tirelessly researching options, reaching out to friends, family, and anyone who could help, resisting the status quo, and always thinking in terms of 'œwe.' Together they tell their story, back and forth, punctuated throughout by Gerri's top 50 tips for how to be an advocate: #1 Trust your intuition. #6 Create a battle plan. #15 Get copies of records. #26 Make doctors speak in a language that you understand. #33 Don't schedule surgery during the holidays. #49 Remember, this is not a dress rehearsal.

Table of Contents

Foreword to the New Edition	p. X
Introduction	p. XIII
Get a 'Tude	p. 1
Get an Advocate	p. 20
Issue a Call to General Quarters	p. 32
Revel in Laughter and the Love of Friends	p. 52
Push the Envelope	p. 71
Take Care of the Home Front	p. 88
Keep on Fighting	p. 103
Expect the Unexpected	p. 125
Make Your Life Worth Living	p. 141
Recognize the Gifts You've Been Given	p. 162
Epilogue	p. 173
The Monaghan Manual	p. 184
The Advocate's Notebook	p. 217
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.