Dying to Live Your Life

Lisabeth Mackall has been given some unanticipated news. After helping her husband heal and recover from an on-the-job car wreck several years ago, as told about in her first novel, Lisabeth assumed she had done her part, as she does for countless people, by helping out. She believes nothing bad should happen again, at least not for a while. Much to her surprise, though, she finds out that she has breast cancer, and, ultimately, her whole life will change again. Here in her second novel, Dying to Live Your Life: Why Does it Take Facing Death to Life Your Best Life?, Lisa must learn to accept help from others, as she is usually the caregiver and supplier of comfort to others. Accepting that she can’t control everything in her life is one of the first things she must learn to make this transition in life go the smoothest for everyone.

Mackall, an avid blogger, wrote her two-year memoir of dealing with breast cancer in journal form. While this was the best way for her to sort through her feelings, her hope is that it might help anyone else reading, whether from personal experience themselves or from witnessing it in others. As Mackall states, “cancer sucks,” but it’s best when it can be understood and everyone is on the same page for treatment and recovery. Starting out with chemo, she will learn what millions before her have gone through to fight this terrible illness, but she knows that it is not merely the chemo that will help her survive, but her attitude, perseverance, kind gestures, and prayers from others. Throughout this journey, she will have to relearn her body, since it is completely different than she has known it previously, thanks to the multitudes of toxins being pumped into her body to fight the bad cancer cells. Unfortunately, caught in the cross-fire are many good cells as well.

Mackall will entice any reader of all walks of life through her real-life discourse. Even through her months of chemo and constant feeling of being uncomfortable, she writes things as they are and doesn’t fake anything. She proves to be an excellent example of a motivational speaker, constantly reminding people to savor the small things in life—the sunshine, the smells and sights of nature—to really grasp what is important in life to help you to calm yourself. Amidst all of her setbacks from her personal goals and daily routines, she perseveres and keeps the best mindset possible, given her diagnosis. If you were in Lisa’s shoes: husband, four kids, great job and reputation, or even in your own shoes, would you realize how great your life is, even with its downfalls, or wallow in your sorrow?