[Multibilly]

Debra Berenson "I Have What?..."

by Multibilly on Sun Nov 15, 2015 7:25 pm

I just finished reading the book “I Have WHAT?” by Debra Berenson, wife of Dr. James Berenson. It’s a quick read and I got through it in one day.

The book is primarily a compendium of dozens of first-person, high-level patient accounts with various monoclonal gammopathies that are being treated by Dr. Berenson. Testimonials include long-time patients that were around in the early days when Dr. B was still occasionally suggesting transplants and patients were using treatments such as VAD or Thalidomide to current-day accounts of patients utilizing some of his more recent drug cocktails.

The patient testimonials also include accounts of those that swear by complementing Dr. B’s treatments with specialized diets and has one testimonial of a patient that tried hyperthermia treatment in Germany (with miserable results). There is also more than one story of a patient that was about to pull the trigger on a transplant and chose otherwise upon meeting with Dr. B.

The patient testimonials touch on the good and bad of various drug treatments and how Dr. B has best managed side effects through ongoing tweaks to a patient’s drug and dosing regimen. A couple of touching accounts were written posthumously by a family member of the patient that succumbed to the disease. Admittedly, all the testimonials pour on the love and respect that each of the patients have for Dr. B.

About 20% of the book is an expanded FAQ and treatment overview written by Dr B. There are also concise chapters written by a periodontist, physical therapist, PM&R, pain specialist, nephrologist, orthopedist and a gastroenterologist – all with a focus on multiple myeloma.
If you are a patient of Dr B. or agree only partially with his philosophy, you will find it to be a good read that you will resonate with. If not, it might be an eye opener for you.

It’s available on Amazon. All proceeds of the book sales go to the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, a non-profit research center headed up by Dr. B.

[brandyjoco]

Re: Debra Berenson "I Have What?..."

by brandyjoco on Tue Feb 16, 2016 6:23 pm

I just saw this post. We will be visiting Dr. Berenson for our first consultation appointment in mid March after we get our 3-month blood results for my husband (he has smoldering myeloma).

I will be sure to order this book. My understanding is that Dr. Berenson's wife wrote this book.

Thanks!
Brandyjoco