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It is what it is: Stage IV Colorectal Cancer at 33
A memoir of life with stage IV colon cancer.
This book is a detailed life experience of Ashley Pedro, and all the people around her as she fights stage 4 colon cancer starting at the age of 33.
It goes chronologically through her life, hospital visits, physical pain, emotional pain, and the daily details of dealing with cancer that most new cancer patients have only heard about. Everyone's story through cancer is slightly different and this is her first hand account of it all.
It will be most beneficial to anyone who has been recently diagnosed with colon cancer or other forms of cancer that have no idea what their futures hold and what possibilities are in their future. While each cancer patients story is slightly different, there are a lot of commonalities that are shared and can be learned about by reading this book.
Its a story of love, fight, dedication, strength, and vulnerability. It is written in the first person by Ashley Pedro, while fighting cancer, but most of all fighting to help others.
This book is a detailed life experience of Ashley Pedro, and all the people around her as she fights stage 4 colon cancer starting at the age of 33.
It goes chronologically through her life, hospital visits, physical pain, emotional pain, and the daily details of dealing with cancer that most new cancer patients have only heard about. Everyone's story through cancer is slightly different and this is her first hand account of it all.
It will be most beneficial to anyone who has been recently diagnosed with colon cancer or other forms of cancer that have no idea what their futures hold and what possibilities are in their future. While each cancer patients story is slightly different, there are a lot of commonalities that are shared and can be learned about by reading this book.
Its a story of love, fight, dedication, strength, and vulnerability. It is written in the first person by Ashley Pedro, while fighting cancer, but most of all fighting to help others.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 29, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 24, 2025
Great Attitude
Colorectal cancer is a killer in many cases. That is why it is VITAL to stay on top of your health care screenings, family history with regard to diseases that may run in your family, recommendations from your physician as well as other professionals as to when certain screenings should start. It is also a great idea to invest in a good health insurance BEFORE you are in a crisis situation as that is not the best time to be making important decisions and that cost will almost certainly be much higher if y you wait until you have a serious or terminal illness -- IF you can get insurance at all in that scenario.
Many people familiar with colonoscopies will tell you they dread them and avoid or postpone them. What they likely REALLY mean is that they dread the preparation. I can confidently say that because I have undergone these screening tests several times. The prep isn't fun; no one would say it is but it is NOT something you can't deal with and certainly it is MUCH easier to deal with that inconvenience or even a bowel accident than it would be to deal with a colon cancer diagnosis! Really, the preparation involves drinking about a gallon of laxative called magnesium citrate mixed with water or a clear liquid. You drink half the night prior to your procedure and the other half the morning of. Your goal so to speak, is to "run clear." You can't eat for about 12 hours prior, just liquids: water juices, tea, chicken or vegetable broth, Gatorade etc.
One thing I liked about the book is the author, Ashley Pedro's down to earth tone. It is informal, and in everyday language. I also feel she has an amazing attitude! Yes she gets overwhelmed at times but she is far from being all "doom and gloom." She is realistic but hopeful, accepting yet not surrendering and being willing to suffer some in order to have the best shot at beating the disease.
Unfortunately, there are several things I didn't like and for me, the worst part about that is it would have been so EASY to avoid! People, if you're going to put the time and effort into writing a book, make it the best book it can be. When you are done writing, proofread, make your revisions or take notes as to where they are needed such as "Page 15, line 4. Correct spelling error from " there" to "their." Or Page 44, paragraph 2, line 6. Possible punctuation error? Check use of commas and semi-colon." After you make your corrections, proofread it again when you are feeling alert and refreshed. Have a few people you know who excel in spelling, sentence structure and grammar proof it for you. Might be a relative, your English professor, a journalism major or current junior or senior English student. Finally, if you can, HIRE an editor.
In this book, the message is VERY important but it was distracting from that message, for example to read about her appointment on the 31st of June (No such date. "Thirty days hath September, April, JUNE and November...") or to read she put her " bowel in the kitchen sink." I suspect putting your bowel in the sink would not only require a surgical procedure first but it would also be grossly unnecessary and unsanitary! MUCH better to keep your bowel in your body and put your "BOWL" in the kitchen sink! That particular mistake "bowel" instead of "bowl" or vice versa, was made more than once. There were several spelling and grammar mistakes. And it was repetitive in several places. That is why I brought it down to 3 stars and perhaps could have gone as low as 2.5.
Not a BAD book but definitely room for improvement including the ending which in my opinion felt like being dropped over a cliff with no warning. Abrupt ending.
Colorectal cancer is a killer in many cases. That is why it is VITAL to stay on top of your health care screenings, family history with regard to diseases that may run in your family, recommendations from your physician as well as other professionals as to when certain screenings should start. It is also a great idea to invest in a good health insurance BEFORE you are in a crisis situation as that is not the best time to be making important decisions and that cost will almost certainly be much higher if y you wait until you have a serious or terminal illness -- IF you can get insurance at all in that scenario.
Many people familiar with colonoscopies will tell you they dread them and avoid or postpone them. What they likely REALLY mean is that they dread the preparation. I can confidently say that because I have undergone these screening tests several times. The prep isn't fun; no one would say it is but it is NOT something you can't deal with and certainly it is MUCH easier to deal with that inconvenience or even a bowel accident than it would be to deal with a colon cancer diagnosis! Really, the preparation involves drinking about a gallon of laxative called magnesium citrate mixed with water or a clear liquid. You drink half the night prior to your procedure and the other half the morning of. Your goal so to speak, is to "run clear." You can't eat for about 12 hours prior, just liquids: water juices, tea, chicken or vegetable broth, Gatorade etc.
One thing I liked about the book is the author, Ashley Pedro's down to earth tone. It is informal, and in everyday language. I also feel she has an amazing attitude! Yes she gets overwhelmed at times but she is far from being all "doom and gloom." She is realistic but hopeful, accepting yet not surrendering and being willing to suffer some in order to have the best shot at beating the disease.
Unfortunately, there are several things I didn't like and for me, the worst part about that is it would have been so EASY to avoid! People, if you're going to put the time and effort into writing a book, make it the best book it can be. When you are done writing, proofread, make your revisions or take notes as to where they are needed such as "Page 15, line 4. Correct spelling error from " there" to "their." Or Page 44, paragraph 2, line 6. Possible punctuation error? Check use of commas and semi-colon." After you make your corrections, proofread it again when you are feeling alert and refreshed. Have a few people you know who excel in spelling, sentence structure and grammar proof it for you. Might be a relative, your English professor, a journalism major or current junior or senior English student. Finally, if you can, HIRE an editor.
In this book, the message is VERY important but it was distracting from that message, for example to read about her appointment on the 31st of June (No such date. "Thirty days hath September, April, JUNE and November...") or to read she put her " bowel in the kitchen sink." I suspect putting your bowel in the sink would not only require a surgical procedure first but it would also be grossly unnecessary and unsanitary! MUCH better to keep your bowel in your body and put your "BOWL" in the kitchen sink! That particular mistake "bowel" instead of "bowl" or vice versa, was made more than once. There were several spelling and grammar mistakes. And it was repetitive in several places. That is why I brought it down to 3 stars and perhaps could have gone as low as 2.5.
Not a BAD book but definitely room for improvement including the ending which in my opinion felt like being dropped over a cliff with no warning. Abrupt ending.
January 20, 2026
This book was a heartbreaking read, because Ashley Pedro was much too young and vital to be sick with cancer. I kept remembering how I felt when I was 33 (the age she first got sick) and how much of my life was still ahead of me, and how good I felt physically back in those days (I'm 66 now). The more I read her book, the harder it was to continue, partly because I knew her outcome, and partly because she had such a wonderful spirit and was truly a good person. I also asked over and over why the good, young people have to get cancer, when there truly are so many horrible people who "deserve" to get sick (I know it doesn't make sense, and it makes me sound horrible), but that's how I felt reading the book. There is a wealth of information about cancer treatments in the book, because Ms. Pedro took such great notes about everything that happened to her. I know her wonderful support system (husband, mother, immediate family, including aunts, children as well as her friends) made her journey so much easier. You can tell that she was very loved, and that she loved her family back. Such a sad story, but I'm glad that she was able to tell it in her own words and I'm glad that I read it.
February 6, 2025
This is a poignant personal memoir written by a 33-year-old patient who didn't survive advanced colorectal cancer. It's essentially her journal entries every week about her experience from diagnosis until nothing could save her. It's filled with details about doctors and famous name medical centers trying to save her life, including enrolling her in clinical trials near the end. Her widowed husband published it after her death.
Unfortunately, her writing is also filled with many misspelled words, some bad grammar, and incorrect punctuation that editors didn't catch. The mistakes detract from her main message -- colorectal cancer is killing more people than ever before, and people should begin colon cancer screening at an early age to minimize the risks.
Unfortunately, her writing is also filled with many misspelled words, some bad grammar, and incorrect punctuation that editors didn't catch. The mistakes detract from her main message -- colorectal cancer is killing more people than ever before, and people should begin colon cancer screening at an early age to minimize the risks.
October 2, 2025
Heartbreaking
I read this book in one day. That’s how compelling it was. I followed each health crisis eagerly, but found the ending lacking. Perhaps that is a metaphor for Ashley’s final days. I wish that Josh had added an epilogue for those of us who had our fingers crossed through the entire book. I needed to have that final chapter.
I read this book in one day. That’s how compelling it was. I followed each health crisis eagerly, but found the ending lacking. Perhaps that is a metaphor for Ashley’s final days. I wish that Josh had added an epilogue for those of us who had our fingers crossed through the entire book. I needed to have that final chapter.
May 11, 2025
Heartbreaking story
It was a poorly written book; a lot of grammar and punctuation mistakes. They are distracting to me. The point of the book was to highlight the struggles of Stage IV cancer, which she did.
It was a poorly written book; a lot of grammar and punctuation mistakes. They are distracting to me. The point of the book was to highlight the struggles of Stage IV cancer, which she did.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews