Following her breast cancer diagnosis, Juliet Wittman is suddenly thrown into the world of the ill. Given little time to consider options, she must make decisions about her treatment that will have far-reaching consequences. Should she have a mastectomy or a lumpectomy? Should she travel to another city for better medical care? With unnerving candor, Juliet describes her treatment from surgery through chemotherapy and radiation. She goes beyond her own experience, bringing the voices of other patients, doctors and nurses into the book. Although she's frustrated by numerous theories on the "cancer personality," she also explores, with healthy skepticism, alternative approaches from Chinese herbal medicine to massage and visualization.