My Mother's Roommate

Until January 1981 Sandra Cowden is nurse, wife, and mother living an ordinary and happy life in Albuquerque, New Mexico (her hometown). She is married to a supportive husband, Bob, and was raising two young children Ken and Karen. One early morning in January 1981, Sandra Cowden is working as a nurse in labor and delivery. In a traumatic turn of events, she is suddenly the patient in her own hospital. Sandra is left to cope with the lack of communication by the healthcare system, poor patient support, and the devastating diagnosis of a brain tumor. Crippling fear consumes Sandra as she undergoes tests, brain surgery, and overdose on medication. The stressful and life-altering consequences of the cancer diagnosis leaves to total upheaval of Sandra and her family's lives.  Within weeks of collapsing at work, they must relocate across the country to be near a support system.  All the while, Sandra's mind is filled with chaos, fear, and denial.  It is hard to separate reality from the impacts of medication and the tumor on the brain. Sandra clings to hope that her disease is benign and curable.

Sandra started her memoir in the early 1980's. Her work went unfinished for four decades. Her daughter (Dr. Karen Cowden Dahl) completes Sandra's story as Sandra was unable. Then using her 25 years of experience as a cancer researcher, Dr. Cowden Dahl is able to shed light and hope on the progress towards curing and treating cancer.