You know you're having a bad day when you return home from a root canal and get a phone message saying you flunked your mammogram. This happened to Judith trotter Short. She shares her story in K.B. and Me.
The abnormal mammogram led to further testing, which led to a breast cancer diagnosis. Short candidly describes her emotions, reactions and experiences before, during and after treatment.
K.B. stands for "Killer Bunny." K.B. is a sweet stuffed rabbit toy with fake plastic fangs glued to its mouth. Short used this toy as a visual aid and motivational tool in her fight against the disease.
She imagined that her white cells were white killer bunnies. She visualized that these bunnies would hop throughout her body, munching away at the cancer cells. She further noted that since her white blood cells were rabbits, they would reproduce quickly. This is the ultimate goal in cancer treatment, and Short used her imagination to rebuild her own immune system.
Before long, K.B. achieved notoriety as a cancer-fighting mascot. Even medical personnel were touched and amused by K.B.'s indirect healing power. Besides being a visual aid, K.B. was a physical object of comfort that accompanied the author through surgery, chemotherapy and recovery.
K.B. and Me is a short read. Though 85 pages in length, this slim book covers many topics within the subject of breast cancer. On top of her own feelings, Short describes the reactions of others and how she dealt with them.
The tone of the book is uplifting. The wording makes the reader feel as though she is having conversation over coffee with a friend, rather than reading the words of a published author. I think that very characteristic justifies that the book should be read by all who are directly or indirectly affected by the disease.
This is by no means a work of breast cancer research. The author offers no medical references or treatment preferences. The book's value rests in its record of how one woman conquered breast cancer. Short faced to disease with humor and a fighting attitude. She published her story hoping it would help others as well.
My first reaction, upon reading the cover of the book, was that this woman was crazy. A cancer-fighting bunny? Then I began to think of what my own reaction would be I ever face the same diagnosis. Humor and inner strength would be part of my plan of attack as well. Judith Short isn't crazy. She's an inspiration.
I do recommend K.B. and Me as part of any personal cancer information library. The book is not a substitute for education on the subject. However, Short's poignant, courageous tale can assist other victims in their treatments.
As I mentioned before, this is a short book. If you ever find yourself buying a pile of books on the subject of breast cancer, slip this slim volume on the purchasing stack, too. The other books will provide some education on the disease. K.B. and Me will provide the support, humor and guidance that are needed as well.
ISBN #0-595-17092-7
