---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine &…"
description: "\"If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine & Miracles,' I might consider changing its title to 'The Side Effects of Cancer.' Healing is hard work, as is any c..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/bernie-siegel-2465_any_if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracl_2145780.jpg"
---

#  If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine &amp; Miracles,' I might…

![“If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine &amp; Miracles,' I might consider changing its title to 'The Side Effects of Cancer.' Healing is hard work, as is any change one must make in one's life. I and others have learned, however, that the side effects of cancer may not all be bad ones.” quote by Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/bernie-siegel-2465_any_if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracl_2145780.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/bernie-siegel-2465_any_if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracl_2145780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/bernie-siegel-2465_any_if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracl_2145780.jpg)

> “If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine &amp; Miracles,' I might consider changing its title to 'The Side Effects of Cancer.' Healing is hard work, as is any change one must make in one's life. I and others have learned, however, that the side effects of cancer may not all be bad ones.”

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Cancer’s side effects can include unexpected positive outcomes, suggesting that hardship may bring growth and new perspectives.

**In simple terms:** Hardship can yield unexpected benefits.

Key Takeaway

Seek growth in adversity.

Themes

adversity growth perspective

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

nonfiction inspirational

When to use this quote

- cancer treatment
- personal development
- support groups

Key Concepts

medicine psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How have you found meaning in difficulty?
- What supports you during tough times?

A Different Perspective

Not all hardships are beneficial.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Cancer Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer-bad-2272193/) [Cancer Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer-healing-4489338/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Changing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing/) [Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Effects Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects-cancer-2887524/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Healing Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing-hard-981267/) [However](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/however/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Miracles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracles/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/others/) [Rewriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewriting/) [Side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side/) [Side effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side-effects/) [Title](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/title/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever, they always list depression among the side effects of cancer. But, in fact, depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/whenever-you-read-a-cancer-booklet-or-website-or-whatever-they-always-2/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever it always list depression as one of the side effects of cancer. But, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/whenever-you-read-a-cancer-booklet-or-website-or-whatever-it-always/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [“Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever, they always list depression among the side effects of cancer. But, in fact, depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-read-a-cancer-booklet-or-website-or-whatever-they-always/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Going through cancer is bad enough, but the side effects of all the stuff that's supposed to make you better can sometimes be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-harding/going-through-cancer-is-bad-enough-but-the-side-effects-of-all-the/)

[Sarah Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-harding/)

> [I tell women who have gone through cancer that healing from it requires receiving care, receiving support, letting friends and family rally around us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonali-bendre/i-tell-women-who-have-gone-through-cancer-that-healing-from-it/)

[Sonali Bendre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonali-bendre/)

> [Through spiritual maturity you will see new ways to avoid unnecessary suffering; wiser ways to endure unavoidable hardships with grace, and opportunities to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/through-spiritual-maturity-you-will-see-new-ways-to-avoid-unnecessary-2/)

[Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/)

> [“Pale winter sun Is beatin' the ground Why'm I throwin' away The best thing that I've found My young heart's in tatters and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gray/pale-winter-sun-is-beatin-the-ground-why-m-i-throwin-away-the-best/)

[David gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gray/)

> [Like millions of others, I have been plagued by the devastating effects of cancer hitting not one, but multiple members of my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/like-millions-of-others-i-have-been-plagued-by-the-devastating/)

[Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/)

> [“We call a cancer bad, they would say, because it kills a man; but you might just as well call a successful surgeon bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/we-call-a-cancer-bad-they-would-say-because-it-kills-a-man-but-you/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Mr Obama you're not a healing Jesus, you cause cancer with your bad policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-klingenschmitt/mr-obama-you-re-not-a-healing-jesus-you-cause-cancer-with-your-bad/)

[Gordon Klingenschmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-klingenschmitt/)

> [“Chuck Norris’s tears cure cancer. Too bad he’s never cried.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-spector/chuck-norris-s-tears-cure-cancer-too-bad-he-s-never-cried/)

[Ian Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-spector/)

> [Middle Age connotes fat, cancer, bad musical taste, and death. It conjures up a commuter in the sixties going to a Neil Simon play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-suzanne-miller/middle-age-connotes-fat-cancer-bad-musical-taste-and-death-it/)

[Marilyn Suzanne Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-suzanne-miller/)

> [The elevator shaft was a kind of heat sink. Hot food was cold by the time it arrived. Cold food got colder. No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-elevator-shaft-was-a-kind-of-heat-sink-hot-food-was-cold-by-the/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [The book really comes to life in the rewriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-book-really-comes-to-life-in-the-rewriting/)

[Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/)

> [Donald Trump has been rewriting the rules since he got into politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/donald-trump-has-been-rewriting-the-rules-since-he-got-into-politics/)

[Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/)

## More by Bernie Siegel

> [It is astounding how much the immune system is strengthened by reducing daily mental stress levels with either visualization or meditation. The other great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/it-is-astounding-how-much-the-immune-system-is-strengthened-by/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [No matter what the statistics say there is always a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/no-matter-what-the-statistics-say-there-is-always-a-way/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [Live by your experience and do not let limited beliefs alter your life experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/live-by-your-experience-and-do-not-let-limited-beliefs-alter-your/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [For me, consciousness is non-local, not limited to the body, and can exist independent of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/for-me-consciousness-is-non-local-not-limited-to-the-body-and-can/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [There is no such thing as an incurable disease, only incurable people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-incurable-disease-only-incurable-people/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [The Secret Language of Your Body truly is the essential guide to restore your body to its healthiest state and assist you to heal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/the-secret-language-of-your-body-truly-is-the-essential-guide-to/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [I think some people do want to die, and they will get a disease. There are people who know their lives are so troubled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-think-some-people-do-want-to-die-and-they-will-get-a-disease-there/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [Feel your feelings. What you bring forth will save you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/feel-your-feelings-what-you-bring-forth-will-save-you/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [I know patients who bring a dozen roses to the doctor's office. And, boy, the next visit, nobody forgets that. You come in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-know-patients-who-bring-a-dozen-roses-to-the-doctor-s-office-and/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [I had patients who didn't die because they had too many pets to try to find homes for. It's why women live longer than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-had-patients-who-didn-t-die-because-they-had-too-many-pets-to-try/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [One of the best ways to change is to act as if you are the person you want to become. When you behave as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/one-of-the-best-ways-to-change-is-to-act-as-if-you-are-the-person-you/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [You can find examples of how little we value ourselves everywhere you look. The signs on the front of the convenience stores where Stephen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/you-can-find-examples-of-how-little-we-value-ourselves-everywhere-you/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [Thoughts are chemical. They can either kill us or cure us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/thoughts-are-chemical-they-can-either-kill-us-or-cure-us/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [I believe consciousness is non-local and a big part of what we experience with near death and past lives. It's the consciousness that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-believe-consciousness-is-non-local-and-a-big-part-of-what-we/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

> [When my body gets to the point where I can no longer function or feel gratitude, then I'll leave it and become grateful again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/when-my-body-gets-to-the-point-where-i-can-no-longer-function-or-feel/)

[Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

[Explore all 165 Bernie Siegel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/)

## More Any quotes

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/)

[Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/)

> [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/)

[Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/)

[Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/)

> [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/)

[Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/)

> [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/)

[Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/)

> [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/)

[Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/)

> [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/)

[Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/)

[Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/)

> [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/)

[Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/)

> [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/)

[Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/)

[Browse all 6,938 Any quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine & Miracles,' I might consider changing its title to 'The Side Effects of Cancer.' Healing is hard work, as is any change one must make in one's life. I and others have learned, however, that the side effects of cancer may not all be bad ones.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bernie Siegel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracles-i-might-consider-changing/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Any"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracles-i-might-consider-changing/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/bernie-siegel-2465_any_if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracl_2145780.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/bernie-siegel-2465_any_if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracl_2145780.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/565/bernie-siegel-2465_any_if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracl_2145780.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine & Miracles,' I might consider changing its title to 'The Side Effects of…” — Bernie Siegel",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bernie Siegel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If I were rewriting 'Love, Medicine...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracles-i-might-consider-changing/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/if-i-were-rewriting-love-medicine-miracles-i-might-consider-changing/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
