Life can be a wild ride, taking us places we’d rather not go. What differentiates us is how we handle the bumps and jolts, and what we learn from them.

Cathy Bueti’s nightmare ride of tragedy and misfortune began when she was only 25. The child of an alcoholic father, Cathy had found refuge and love with her high school sweetheart. One morning her husband leaves the house and, in an instant, Cathy becomes a young widow. Seven years later, still reeling from the almost unbearable loss and suffering through one miserable attempt at a relationship after another, she discovers a lump in her breast.

Endlessly looking for love and companionship, and believing that “guys only like girls with long hair and big boobs,” Cathy loses her breast, her hair, and what little self-esteem she has left. Along the way, she makes a series of difficult, life-altering decisions. But with an ever-strengthening will and changing outlook, she overcomes great odds and, in the end, rediscovers happiness.

In a story that’s moving but not without humor, Cathy reveals her fears, weaknesses, and missteps as well as her triumphs. Her father, who hadn’t been there for her during her youth, becomes one of her biggest supporters. She shares with us what she’s learned about relationships and about life itself. And we see through her eyes how we take things, big and small, for granted, and how much our perceptions can change.

Cathy is stunningly honest and open. She’s a real person telling her story. This is a ride you’ll be glad you took, and one you’ll remember for a long time.