Mani-Pedi STAT

May 26, 2014
At the onset of this uplifting memoir, Ebenstein looks back two decades to when she was a 16-year-old “quintessential Jersey girl” focused on boys, volleyball, and having a good time. When her health began to fail, she assumed it was mono; but after a trip to the hospital, she was eventually diagnosed with Hodgkins disease. The author braced for chemo and radiation, while studying for the SATs and painting her nails like a typical teen in between treatments. Though she successfully battled the disease, her emotional life was in turmoil After high school graduation, Ebenstein went on to Rutgers University, where she forged a new persona as a cancer-free party girl, but the toll that cancer had taken caught up with her. In time, she realized that conquering the physical aspects is only half the battle; she must also come to grips with her feelings and self-esteem. Alternately funny and touching, the memoir follows Ebenstein into young adulthood, marriage, motherhood, and a second bout with cancer. With candor and humor, the author learns to take charge of her own life and to face her challenges with hope and courage.