When Blood Breaks Down: Life Lessons from Leukemia
- Downloads：9953
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-11-03 05:51:54
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Mikkael A. Sekeres
- ISBN：0262043726
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
A leading cancer specialist tells the compelling stories of three adult leukemia patients and their treatments， the disease itself， and the drugs developed to treat it。
When you are told that you have leukemia， your world stops。 Your brain can't function。 You are asked to make decisions about treatment almost immediately， when you are not in your right mind。 And yet you pull yourself together and start asking questions。 Beside you is your doctor， whose job it is to solve the awful puzzle of bone marrow gone wrong。 The two of you are in it together。 In When Blood Breaks Down， Mikkael Sekeres， a leading cancer specialist， takes readers on the journey that patient and doctor travel together。
Sekeres， who writes regularly for the Well section of the New York Times， tells the compelling stories of three people who receive diagnoses of adult leukemia within hours of each other: Joan， a 48-year-old surgical nurse， a caregiver who becomes a patient; David， a 68-year-old former factory worker who bows to his family's wishes and pursues the most aggressive treatment; and Sarah， a 36-year-old pregnant woman who must decide whether to undergo chemotherapy and put her fetus at risk。 We join the intimacy of the conversations Sekeres has with his patients， and watch as he teaches trainees。 Along the way， Sekeres also explores leukemia in its different forms and the development of drugs to treat it--describing， among many other fascinating details， the invention of the bone marrow transplant （first performed experimentally on beagles） and a treatment that targets the genetics of leukemia。
The lessons to be learned from leukemia， Sekeres shows， are not merely medical; they teach us about courage and grace and defying the odds。
When you are told that you have leukemia， your world stops。 Your brain can't function。 You are asked to make decisions about treatment almost immediately， when you are not in your right mind。 And yet you pull yourself together and start asking questions。 Beside you is your doctor， whose job it is to solve the awful puzzle of bone marrow gone wrong。 The two of you are in it together。 In When Blood Breaks Down， Mikkael Sekeres， a leading cancer specialist， takes readers on the journey that patient and doctor travel together。
Sekeres， who writes regularly for the Well section of the New York Times， tells the compelling stories of three people who receive diagnoses of adult leukemia within hours of each other: Joan， a 48-year-old surgical nurse， a caregiver who becomes a patient; David， a 68-year-old former factory worker who bows to his family's wishes and pursues the most aggressive treatment; and Sarah， a 36-year-old pregnant woman who must decide whether to undergo chemotherapy and put her fetus at risk。 We join the intimacy of the conversations Sekeres has with his patients， and watch as he teaches trainees。 Along the way， Sekeres also explores leukemia in its different forms and the development of drugs to treat it--describing， among many other fascinating details， the invention of the bone marrow transplant （first performed experimentally on beagles） and a treatment that targets the genetics of leukemia。
The lessons to be learned from leukemia， Sekeres shows， are not merely medical; they teach us about courage and grace and defying the odds。
Reviews
Heather Engblom
，
Does a great job or explaining complex cancer terms and treatments in a easy to grasp manner。 A openly emotionally but science based read。
Jen S
，
Listened to audiobook。 Loved it。
Kelly Lavoie
，
4。75 only because he called PA’s a “physician’s assistant”。 Recommend to anyone in heme/onc but agree this may be tough for patients
Ebel Tabares
，
Excelente！ Muy bien escrito， contrasta historias de pacientes portadores de neoplasias hematológicas con datos científicos y algo de poesía。
Lizzie Sawdai
，
A good mix of narrative and science。 Only lost a star because the writing was so so
Bruna
，
✯ [4。5/5] ✯Just a wholesome story about hematology， a medical residency I think about doing。。。 And this made me want to do more。
Tanvi
，
I really liked this book！ I felt that the author explained the various forms of leukemia and their treatments in a very digestible way， but simultaneously， the stories of the patients were so compelling that I found it hard to set down at times。 :）
Jessica
，
Follows the leukemia journey of three patients， interspersed with other experiences and vignettes from Dr。 Sekeres' experiences。 Follows the leukemia journey of three patients， interspersed with other experiences and vignettes from Dr。 Sekeres' experiences。 。。。more
Mike
，
This was a good accounting of history， treatments， and lives affected by three different people dealing with this condition。 At times it was sobering and heart-breaking for some patients looking for hope and ended up terminal。 Other stories had much more positive outcomes and was uplifting to know of the medical progress over the past few decades。
Jodi
，
I grabbed this book while looking for a different book in the same section at the library and immediately wondered why I haven't been reading books like this for the past 20 years。 I'm a pediatric oncology nurse and found the stories related in this book very relatable while at the same time different from what I see。 I think the style of writing was extremely accessible and would definitely like to read more from this author/physician。 I grabbed this book while looking for a different book in the same section at the library and immediately wondered why I haven't been reading books like this for the past 20 years。 I'm a pediatric oncology nurse and found the stories related in this book very relatable while at the same time different from what I see。 I think the style of writing was extremely accessible and would definitely like to read more from this author/physician。 。。。more
Michelle Quinn
，
I chose the book based on only the first four words of the title， and was reeled in by the more targeted and human interest aspects of different types of leukemia， and the individual differences in how patients react to， address， and come to terms with the unexpected diagnosis。 The case based approach told by a doctor who values both the diagnostic， treatment， and clinical interaction make for a fascinating read。 I appreciated the history of science component， the explanations that a person with I chose the book based on only the first four words of the title， and was reeled in by the more targeted and human interest aspects of different types of leukemia， and the individual differences in how patients react to， address， and come to terms with the unexpected diagnosis。 The case based approach told by a doctor who values both the diagnostic， treatment， and clinical interaction make for a fascinating read。 I appreciated the history of science component， the explanations that a person with little prior hematology knowledge could track。 While the author is genuinely grateful to the inspiration from his patients， and clear on how he collaborated with the （male） lab specialist， my only residual desire was for the physician/author to reveal more about what impacted his work/interactions with patients and other hospital/home health team members。 A reminder that with or without a serious diagnosis， most/all want to live until we die。 。。。more
Diane Henry
，
Very mixed feelings。 Some interesting stuff about leukemia， and certainly the ethical dilemmas of oncology care are there。 But Sekeres has an unpolished writing style with cringe-worthy dialogue。 The tone comes off as patronizing the reader and was off-putting。
E。
，
Great explanations and moving patient cases。 I hope David is still smiling down at us today with his Cleveland Indians hat。
Greg Hartle
，
Mikkael Sekeres takes a complex topic and breaks it down in layman’s terms。 Moreover， the storytelling is excellent。 Kept me engaged and eager to learn more as I read。 Greatly appreciate the deeper understanding I now have of this disease and how it impacts all stakeholders involved。 Great read！
Lindsey
，
As an inpatient Hematology NP I found this book fascinating。 It should be required reading for new colleagues in my area， in my humble opinion。 I enjoyed the history behind various leukemic discoveries and medication/chemo trials over the years， along with everyone’s favorite: the patient stories。 It’s given me some new terms and “dad jokes” 😉 to use with my own patients。 I agree with another reviewer though—for patients with leukemia and their families， this may be a tough one that is better le As an inpatient Hematology NP I found this book fascinating。 It should be required reading for new colleagues in my area， in my humble opinion。 I enjoyed the history behind various leukemic discoveries and medication/chemo trials over the years， along with everyone’s favorite: the patient stories。 It’s given me some new terms and “dad jokes” 😉 to use with my own patients。 I agree with another reviewer though—for patients with leukemia and their families， this may be a tough one that is better left for after treatment finishes。 。。。more
Evan Hall
，
A great book。 This sets of stories took me back to my own intern year when I first encountered cancer patients and ultimately set on a path to becoming an oncologist。 Dr Sekeres is a talented writer and explains scientific concepts clearly so a non-physician will be able to understand them。 But the greatest gift by far is his descriptions of interacting with patients when they are at their most vulnerable， himself challenged to find the right words to strike a balance between hope and reality。 I A great book。 This sets of stories took me back to my own intern year when I first encountered cancer patients and ultimately set on a path to becoming an oncologist。 Dr Sekeres is a talented writer and explains scientific concepts clearly so a non-physician will be able to understand them。 But the greatest gift by far is his descriptions of interacting with patients when they are at their most vulnerable， himself challenged to find the right words to strike a balance between hope and reality。 It drills deep to the core of what it’s like to be an oncologist and a human。 Highly recommended！ 。。。more
Kristin
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