With thirty years of experience as a nursing home administrator, Natalie Zeleznikar was no stranger to the strengths and limitations of health care. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, the plan was a double mastectomy and a couple months to recovery. Her reality was eight total hospitalizations in five years after nearly dying—not of cancer but of sepsis. With a unique perspective blending the experiences of a patient and a health care worker, follows Natalie's journey of struggle and survival. This breast cancer memoir offers empathy, healing information, and advocacy to support those on a path to recovery. is also a valuable resource for loved ones wondering how to support someone with cancer, offering an essential window into the roller coaster of emotions a patient faces. Bridge emotions and healing beyond the physical scars of surgery. Once we rip the bandages off, the real healing begins. —Laura Lummer, breast cancer recovery coach