WOW, what a book -- a perfect guide for those just embarking on a medical journey and a valuable resource for people like me -- already surviving a major illness -- who wish to better manage their health care for all of time.

Author Laura Nathanson, MD, wrote What You Don't Know Can Kill You: A Physician's Radical Guide to Conquering the Obstacles to Excellent Medical Care in honor of the husband she lost after a series of misdiagnoses and for everyone wishing to prevent such tragedy in their own lives.

Nathanson offers readers techniques for identifying signs of misdiagnosis and misleading analysis of symptoms. She shares tips for preventing medical miscommunication, keeping safe in the hospital, and choosing health care plans without falling into the uncovered services trap.

The allure of this book is the easy, non-medical approach Nathanson uses as she urges everyone facing the medical world to take charge of an often inpenetrable system. For the patient who is no stranger to this world, Nathanson's words will ring abundantly true.

"When I look back on that long period of delayed diagnosis and how we were then and later bounced around from one medical specialist to another, the image that pops into my head is that of a slightly mad, grotesque volleyball game -- with the patient as the ball," she writes.

For the patient new to medical confusion, Nathanson's words will impart volumes of truth.

"Here's what I've learned, and what you must learn if you wish yourself and your loved ones to survive a bout with serious illness," she reports. "No matter who you are, physician or not, lucky or not; no matter how rich, famous, successful, good-looking, innocent, kindly or powerful; no matter how close and trusting the relationship you have with those providing your medical care -- you cannot rely on today's medical system to keep you healthy, safe and alive."

Amen.

Award-winning jazz musician and former basketball star Wayman Tisdale revealed this week on his website that he has been diagnosed with cancer, that he will begin a six-month course of chemotherapy this week, and that his prognosis for recovery is excellent.

The 6-foot-9 former Oklahoma Sooners basketball great -- who played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns and helped score gold on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team -- reports that he broke his leg in a fall at his Los Angeles home last month.

After his fall, Tisdale's doctors determined a cyst in his right knee caused the injury. The cyst, identified as cancer, was then removed. Following chemotherapy, Tisdale, 42, will undergo knee-replacement surgery.

Tisdale has been told to hold off on his touring and public appearance schedules so can fully recover. But he plans to begin performing again in January 2008. In the meantime, he will focus on his new album with the working title Rebound.

Farrah Fawcett turned 60 on Friday. And she's been celebrating this milestone along with a very important message she just received -- she is cancer-free.

Fawcett, former star of the hit 1970s TV drama Charlie's Angels, was diagnosed with anal cancer four months ago and has been enduring an aggressive treatment protocol to treat the disease -- a treatment that appears to have worked.

Her physician, Dr. Gary Gitnick at the University of California, Los Angeles, medical school reports Fawcett "has had a full and complete response to treatment." Recent tests show her cancer is gone -- and Gitnick calls her prognosis excellent.

Fawcett calls the whole experience a hopeful one.

"In the face of excruciating pain and uncertainty, I never lost hope," she said. "I hope that my news might offer some level of inspiration to others who unfortunately must continue to fight the disease."