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BLURB:
The Light in the Darkness is a must-have companion for anyone living with a serious illness, or caring for a loved one with such an illness.
With this collection of reflections and personal essays, Jo St Leon shares her experiences, her darkest moments and her greatest joys. She tells of the journey from fear and denial to acceptance and a determination to live her best life. She shares her deepest thoughts and feelings, always with her characteristic blend of wry humour and wisdom.
The Light in the Darkness is the book Jo wishes she could have found when she first received her cancer diagnosis.
Buy The Light in the Darkness:
AMAZON.COM https://amazon.com/dp/0228860806
AMAZON AUS https://amazon.com.au/dp/0228860806
AMAZON.CA https://amazon.ca/dp/0228860806
INDIGO CHAPTERS https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-light-in-the-darkness/9780228860822-item.html
BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-light-in-the-darkness-jo-st-leon/1140053696
BOOK DEPOSITORY https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Light-in-the-Darkness-Jo-St-Leon-Garth-ORafferty-Gemma-Black/9780228860808
SMASHWORDS https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1100976
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My Thoughts:
Make sure to read About the Author. You get to know a little bit about the person behind the book. It also had me wanting to listen to some healing music as I read. It’s a book that I can see reading more than once so I need to get a playlist ready.
Even though there are many types of cancer, and yours (or someone you know) may or may not be mentioned here, you can still take away something from the author’s words. You’ll find that no two people are alike; your type, your stage, or even your treatment may be different. But you can use the book as a learning tool.
In my own journey, I learned to stay strong and think positive. You need support so don’t try and go it alone. People are willing to help so don’t be afraid to reach out. Also, don’t give up on what makes you happy.
Part of the author’s story was a dialogue she has and the forthcoming response. I found it interesting, and yes even a little bit funny, because it had something to do with my own journey. She mentions self-care, something my support group has discussed. So you see, even I got something out of her trek.
As we age, we are all going to get something – some sooner than others. Doing some reading about what you, or a loved one, are dealing with may help you understand that you are not alone. If not for this tour, I may never have found that there is light in the darkness.
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EXCERPTS:
Cancer is supposed to change everything—sufferers are supposed to devote their lives to their condition, and thanks to both their illness and their treatment, they are supposed to feel terrible. This has not been my experience at all. Since diagnosis I have felt progressively better apart from one serious, slightly alarming episode. Much of the time I don’t actually feel ill at all. For now, I am contented and have a good quality of life. Friends remind me that in the eleven years before I was diagnosed, I really did suffer—but somehow it feels as though if I could put up with it and carry on working it can’t have been that bad.
Cancer is not a competition, and one person’s experience does not invalidate another’s. What is important is not comparison but sharing discoveries and learning. I have tried in these pages to become a friend to those who are walking a similarly scary path. And cancer is always scary.
Regardless of whether your prognosis is terminal or curable, you will have to carve out a new normal for yourself. Trying to carry on exactly as usual, as I did, masking fear with humour and trivialising the concern of others, is a form of denial. After all, it was some form of the old normal that helped get us into this mess.
Cancer is shit. Always. But it does bring blessings in its shitty wake. If you are reading this book, you likely have cancer yourself or have someone close to you who does. By sharing my path with you, I hope you might occasionally say, ‘Oh yes!’ or ‘Oh, that really is a thing!’ Although my level of well-being is mostly good, I have dealt with all the fears that come with more ‘normal’ cancers—the fears of death, of what will happen if I can’t work, or look after myself, or take care of my cats. These fears are very real and can haunt a person’s waking and sleeping hours. I must remind myself sometimes that Sézary is by no means a fraudulent or insignificant cancer; there will likely be suffering aplenty in my future. My temporary status as a medical miracle does not rob me of my voice.
This is not a How to Overcome Cancer book. There are so many of them out there written by people who are way more knowledgeable than I. I have great faith in my medical professionals, but I don’t leave it all to them. I need to take some responsibility for my own wellbeing. At the outset, I experimented with many things, and I have learned that one person cannot possibly do them all. Self-care is important, but for me it was and is important to maintain some semblance of a quality life as well. Whatever choices I have made in this regard are mine alone. I am not recommending or prescribing them. Everyone’s choices will be different.
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Author Bio:
Jo St Leon is a musician and writer living in Hobart, Tasmania. Receiving a cancer diagnosis in 2016 prompted her to transition from being a full-time musician who loved to write to being a full-time writer who loves to sometimes play the viola. She shares her house with two very pampered felines. She loves reading, cooking, swimming and yoga.
Connect with Jo St. Leon:
WEBSITE https://jostleon.com/
FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/Jo-St-Leon-Writer-2194393090779883
LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-st-Leon-351001211/
GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59571484-the-light-in-the-darkness
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GIVEAWAY:
Jo St Leon will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
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