The Unprofessional Guide to high-grade astrocytoma with piloid features

This guide finally gave me the vocabulary I needed. After my diagnosis, I left the oncologist's office feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, and the hospital leaflets were useless. Chapter 1 alone was worth it - it explained what the tumor is without making me feel stupid. I docked a star because I wanted even more detail, but honestly, this is the most human thing I've read since my diagnosis.

I bought this for my husband the day after his diagnosis, and we both read the first chapter in the waiting room before his next appointment. It felt like someone finally sat us down and talked to us instead of at us. The chapter on what to ask your doctor was a game-changer - we walked in with actual questions and came out feeling like we had some control back. I've already recommended it to our entire support group.

It was okay. I found the first chapter helpful, but the tone was a little too casual for me personally. I get that it's meant to be friendly, but when you're dealing with something this serious, I guess I wanted something a bit more formal. However, the chapter on day-to-day life did make me feel a bit less alone, so it was worth a read, even if it wasn't my preferred style.

I'm a caregiver, not the patient, and this guide was a lifeline. Chapter 7 ('If You're the Caregiver') is worth the price of the book alone - it gave me permission to look after myself without feeling guilty, and the checklist in Chapter 4 helped me keep my mom's appointments straight. The writing is warm and never talks down to you. It's the first thing I've read that didn't make me want to cry in a panic. Highly recommend.

It's fine. The blurb promised no false hope and no catastrophising, and it delivered on that, which I respect. But I felt the chapter on symptoms could have been longer, and the tone occasionally felt like it was trying too hard to be a 'cool friend'. Still, the 'Questions to Ask Your Doctor' list is a solid resource, and I did use it at our last appointment. It's decent, just not perfect.

I read this cover to cover in one night. As a patient, I found the explanation of what 'piloid features' actually means in Chapter 1 to be the clearest I've ever seen. It doesn't sugarcoat the 'high-grade' part, but it doesn't leave you feeling hopeless either. The table in Chapter 3 comparing symptoms and what they mean really helped me understand some things I was experiencing. A solid, comforting, practical read.

I really appreciated the honest, no-nonsense approach. The chapter on causes helped me stop blaming myself for things I had no control over, which I didn't even realize I was doing until I read it. I gave it 4 stars because I wish it had a little more information on some of the newer targeted therapies, but as a starting point for a terrified, confused patient, this guide is excellent.

Perfectly adequate. My brother is the one with the diagnosis, and I got this to help me support him. The chapter on being a caregiver was useful and gave me some good phrases and things to avoid saying. However, I found Chapter 2 on causes to be a bit repetitive and felt it danced around the 'we don't know' answer more than it needed to. It's a helpful resource, just not the be-all and end-all.