Wholeness Healing Center

Wear the Damn Swimsuit A Book Review

Cancer. The big “C” word. Scary. After hearing that diagnosis, how exactly does one move forward? How does one approach every treatment? How does one cherish every moment? How does one navigate waters that seem very murky? I would like to share one woman’s experience, expertise, and advice, from her book, Wear the Damn Swimsuit, Lessons and Stories from Cancer and Life by Ashli Brehm, a Nebraska author. I am so thankful for authors who write such gems and for the clients who recommend them!

This book came highly recommended and I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. As you can imagine, the stories shared in the book, as well as the lessons put forth, were both enlightening and humorous. With a huge dose of reality. From the beginning of the journey, the author presented words of hard-earned wisdom. “In our biggest moments of loss, sorrow, and pain, fires seemingly burn us to the ground, ending the life we knew. That part sucks. It is complete shit. But then, sometimes, smoke drifts up from the ashes. And in that rising is the beginning of something new. That is the goodness.” (Brehm, p. 17) It just gets better the more you read.

All of the chapters are presented as lessons, representing the growth, the movement through the initial awareness through the pain and acceptance. Much of it isn’t even about the cancer but in accepting life in a different way. “I am normally abnormal and for me, that is just right.” (Brehm, p. 65) Part of the book is about debunking the early myths and scripts we hold, while part is about growth and healing. ”Our own suffering seems to develop our ability to empathize. Our own pain seems to develop our ability to want others to heal”. Yes, this is not just one woman’s story, but her story as she experienced alongside others.

Part of the lessons involve the process of moving through treatments, accepting a new reality. Part of the lessons embrace moving self forward as a priority. “Cancer forced me to see that even when life is full, we ought to include ourselves on our list of to-dos.”. (Brehm, p. 153) Part of the lessons are about gratitude. “And nearly every day at some point I think, ‘I could have missed this’. One thing could have gone different at any one point and my life would be a different story.” (Brehm, p. 202) Yes, there is appreciation in the lessons, and a weaving of the theme of wearing the damn swimsuit.

I picked up this book thinking it would be difficult, as the subject certainly is. The book is not difficult, the lessons flow and with each lesson and story, the movement through a very hard time seemed real, human, and even hopeful. If you know someone who might enjoy this book, it would make a great gift. The author also has a website www.babyonthebrehm.com.
Good reading.

Works Cited
Brehm, Ashli (2019) Wear the damn swimsuit. Kelley Creative Design. Coppell, TX.