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I'd Rather Do Chemo Than Clean Out the Garage: Choosing Laughter Over Tears
Pearls of wisdom balance hilarious fun in this shameless exploitation of the chemo lifestyle. Fran Di Giacomo shares the game plan she has used for survival, for quality of life, and to maintain her career as a professional artist. ''As a career member of the Chemo Club, I have lived with cancer for twenty years,'' writes Fran. ''In the last five years, I have had thirteen hospitalizations, ten surgeries, and constant chemotherapy. Staying alive is a full-time job. I grew impatient with the usual sob stories dealing with cancer; we don't need tears, we need backbone and laughter! I show readers how to cultivate a new zest and enthusiasm for life and thereby empower themselves to combat their disease.''
- GenresHumor
163 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2003
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44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 2, 2021
You had to be there...
I'd Rather Do Chemo Than Clean Out the Garage: Choosing Laughter Over Tears by Fran Di Giacomo promised side-splitting hilarity and is outrageously witty. I agree that laughter is beneficial, and, often, promotes healing in our bodies. The book fell way short in the promise of laughter.
One of Fran's stories told of her relationship with best friend Ivy. It likely tickled Fran's funny bone envisioning playing tennis with her IV pole. Unrealistic to think anyone could drag an IV pole to a tennis court. Nurse's laughed when I said I can dance with my pole. I meant, as in dance partner, they took it to mean: Pole Dancer.
I doubt I could turn that moment in time into a book chapter, even if I could find words to describe my dance moves while holding on to the pole.
Fran talks a lot about the Chemo Club. It is not a club I care to belong to. It does not bother me that I have a terminal form of cancer; what is bothersome is suddenly the "club" members want to discuss (endlessly) their chemo/cancer experiences. That is about as boring as people discussing experiences with root canals.
Do people want to be in the Chemo Club because they feel they are special? I do not know. I do know that Fran's experiences with cancer & chemo were very different than my own.
It is what it is. Life goes on, until it ends, is all. We are all going to die someday; it is nice to know, ahead of time what may be my cause of death.
Strange that I had to give away my plants and was not allowed to have flowers, being high risk for infection; yet, Fran has a chapter dedicated to the huge amount of flowers she got, even while in hospital. Of course, today's world is different with COVID-19, hospital rules have changed.
A friend whose chemo/cancer experience is more like Fran's, sent me this book. I wonder if she read it and found it side-splitting funny. I do not have a garage, but would love to clean it out, if I did.
I disagree with Fran on not getting ready to die (focus on living) ~ I think we all could benefit from considering our eventual death. Like Aunt Babe told her son before she died from cancer: I must have thought I was going to live forever, I bought so many sweaters.
I'd Rather Do Chemo Than Clean Out the Garage: Choosing Laughter Over Tears by Fran Di Giacomo promised side-splitting hilarity and is outrageously witty. I agree that laughter is beneficial, and, often, promotes healing in our bodies. The book fell way short in the promise of laughter.
One of Fran's stories told of her relationship with best friend Ivy. It likely tickled Fran's funny bone envisioning playing tennis with her IV pole. Unrealistic to think anyone could drag an IV pole to a tennis court. Nurse's laughed when I said I can dance with my pole. I meant, as in dance partner, they took it to mean: Pole Dancer.
I doubt I could turn that moment in time into a book chapter, even if I could find words to describe my dance moves while holding on to the pole.
Fran talks a lot about the Chemo Club. It is not a club I care to belong to. It does not bother me that I have a terminal form of cancer; what is bothersome is suddenly the "club" members want to discuss (endlessly) their chemo/cancer experiences. That is about as boring as people discussing experiences with root canals.
Do people want to be in the Chemo Club because they feel they are special? I do not know. I do know that Fran's experiences with cancer & chemo were very different than my own.
It is what it is. Life goes on, until it ends, is all. We are all going to die someday; it is nice to know, ahead of time what may be my cause of death.
Strange that I had to give away my plants and was not allowed to have flowers, being high risk for infection; yet, Fran has a chapter dedicated to the huge amount of flowers she got, even while in hospital. Of course, today's world is different with COVID-19, hospital rules have changed.
A friend whose chemo/cancer experience is more like Fran's, sent me this book. I wonder if she read it and found it side-splitting funny. I do not have a garage, but would love to clean it out, if I did.
I disagree with Fran on not getting ready to die (focus on living) ~ I think we all could benefit from considering our eventual death. Like Aunt Babe told her son before she died from cancer: I must have thought I was going to live forever, I bought so many sweaters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2013
This book was a gift from my friend Aggie. From the author's personal experiences in her fight with cancer, many vignettes are included to help others find humor in some of the daily drudgeries associated with cancer. I agree that laughter is good medicine; but, I have to admit that reading the book (it was a very quick read) made me cry. There are so many kind and giving persons that help others.
March 19, 2010
A self-published account on how to get through cancer and chemo by choosing laughter over tears. I'm not sure how it would go over with someone actually undergoing chemo, but I loved Di Giacomo's up-beat, can-do attitude!
September 2, 2009
Every cancer patient should read this fun and funny book that reminds us to always keep our sense of humor and to look at the positive side of life.
July 23, 2011
Perfect blend of wisdom and humor.
November 3, 2011
Good read to help understand a person with cancer.
July 22, 2013
If you know anyone going through chemo, this book is a must...encouraging and humorous!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews