Lucky Dog

April 28, 2014
Does the world need another cancer memoir? In the case of this book, written by a Florida-based veterinarian specializing in cancer surgery who discovers she has cancer herself, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Boston expertly juxtaposes her experiences as an animal doctor and a thyroid cancer patient to show why, when it comes to cancer, she wishes she were a dog. Poignant stories of Boston’s canine cancer patients, coupled with her sharp-eyed observations as she undergoes her own treatment, help her make a case for the ways in which human health care would benefit from the high level of advocacy, compassion, and responsiveness that veterinarians routinely offer their patients. The author’s lively storytelling and wry, self-deprecating humor ensure that her story is never a drab, hospital-green perspective on illness, and readers will root for her as she faces an initial misdiagnosis, two surgeries, and an arduous radioactive iodine treatment. By the end, the good fortune mentioned in the title takes on extra meaning when Boston is finally declared to be cancer free. Readers will count themselves fortunate, too, as they accompany Boston on her unexpected journey and spend time with some wonderful dogs along the way.