29 Nifty Kitchen Products That Probably Haven't Crossed Your Radar Yet
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Make your life a heck of a lot easier with this portable air fryer and this lunch meat container that made itself the darling of FridgeTok.
1. An airtight Deli ProKeeper so beloved that it's gone viral on FridgeTok (if you know, you KNOW). Not only does this free up space and clutter in the fridge, but it keeps deli meat and cheese so fresh that you'll actually get your darn money's worth by preventing waste.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I bought this because I have the outlandish idea that my refrigerator will look just like those on TikTok, but I am pleasantly surprised to find that it keeps my cold cuts fresher for much longer than expected. It's large enough to hold a pound or more of cold cuts or cheese, which is a bonus. The sealing technology is superb and strong. At one point, I almost could not open the container due to the seal being so airtight. Not only does this product look good in my fridge, but it is saving me money, so definitely a win-win for me." — IrishEyes
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three styles).
2. The new Pink Stuff "Sqeezy" sponge set, which is living up to its "miracle" catchphrase by helping reviewers with their toughest cleaning projects, like grimy pans, mildewed showers, and marked-up walls. If you aren't already in the cult of Pink Stuff cleaning paste, it's so good at its job that reviewers call it " gold in a jar" and " witchcraft."
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "The 'abrasive sponge when cold' or 'squishy when hot' is an awesome feature for the type of scrubbing you want. The Pink Stuff with the sponge does wonders! We have a hideous 30-year-old shower, and although it doesn't look brand new like I was hoping, it's ten times better!! This product really does work!" — GreenGoddess
Get the set (one Pink Stuff jar and a "Sqeezy") from Amazon for $9.99.
3. A big ole collapsible wash bin with a *drain plug* installed at the bottom that is like having a sink inside your skin — perfect for anyone who wants to keep dirty dishes separate from the sink bottom, and absolutely beloved by parents who have a bunch of bottles to sanitize at once.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I bought this to wash baby bottles and pump supplies. Good build and does not feel cheap. I like that it is collapsible for storage and it has a drain on the bottom which makes it super convenient to drain after a soak.I can fit a lot in the tub for soaking." — Lacey D.
Get it from Amazon for $16.50.
4. Oxo's new compact Brew Rapid Brewer, aka the answer to any money-conscious coffee lover's prayers — this version is not only cheaper and more portable than comparable models on the market, but WAY faster making cold brew without compromising on flavor. I'm talking five minutes as opposed to overnight, like other pitchers take — and it doesn't need to be charged or plugged in. 🤯
Amazon
You can use this to brew hot coffee *and* cold brew by adding coffee grounds to the top portion, tamping it down, letting it steep, and pumping into a carafe full of hot or cold water.
Promising review: "Simple to use and cheaper than that other brand. This is about the best tasting coffee I have ever made at home. Easy to clean. Sturdy. Portable." — Alex Bonick
Get it from Amazon for $34.32.
5. An adjustable reusable shopping bag organizer that will clear up so much chaos that the cabinet under your sink will hand write you a thank-you note.
www.amazon.com
YouCopia is a woman-owned small business that specializes in home storage solutions.
Promising review: "I really loved the versatility of this product. I can choose how much room for each bag size needed and adjust when needed. Perfect for my art fair bags." — MrsDash
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
6. Ninja's new *portable* Crispi Air Fryer system, perfect for people with high foodie standards and a chaotic schedule. This "all-in-one system" cooks your food in the same container you eat from, so you can pop your meal into the air fryer, cook it, and either pack it for later or eat it right out of the container.
Amazon
Each air fryer comes with the"PowerPod," two containers (a 4-quart and a 6-quart), and lids. The PowerPod has auto-shutoff and four modes: Max Crisp, Bake, Air Fry, and Recrisp. The "feet" are heat-safe, so you can prop it on any surface without worrying!
Promising review: "I got my Ninja Crisper today and reheated some stuffed bread with feta cheese and spinach, and it did a wonderful job. I t was like it just came out of the oven the first time. Nice and crispy outside, but the inside heated just right. I love that the bottom glass can be covered with the lid it comes with. They come with a metal plate you can put in the glass bottom part, and it actually fits into the lid, so it doesn't get lost. The glass makes a difference in the taste, too. It is a great product and well worth it." — Jennifer
Get it from Amazon for $159.98+ (available in three colors).
7. An absorbent floral dish drying mat so lovely that you'll actually — gasp — look forward to doing the dishes? The "main character in a rom com" energy of this mat is too strong to resist.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"This mat is perfect. It absorbs water from washed dishes well and provides a protective buffer between dishes and our granite countertops. After use, you can hang the mat; it will dry out in minutes. The mat is both decorative and functional. This was a great purchase. There will be no more wet dish towels to contend with. I highly recommend this product." — Cambodian Nurse
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in five styles and three sizes).
8. A Scrub Daddy sponge holder designed *specifically* to suction to the side of your sink and cradle your favorite smiley sponge, so it air dries faster, stays cleaner, and helps minimize clutter on your counters.
www.amazon.com
Storage Theory is a small business that specializes in unique storage solutions for every room in your home.
Promising review:"Finally a nice place to keep my Scrub Daddy. Holds great on the side of the sink. The suction power is strong for its size, and it rotates with ease. This is a good holder for the price." — Luis peralez
Psst — you can get a Scrub Daddy sponge here on Amazon! They are extremely beloved by TikTokers because they're mildew-resistant, dual-sided with different scrubbing textures, and designed with a smile that lets you more easily clean utensils.
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 + (available in three colors).
9. A "Bacon Bin" so all the grease left over from your bacon has a home (read: does not clog your unsuspecting sink). Then you can easily store it in the fridge to cook with later, whether you're frying up bacon-greased veggies, burgers, or even (be still my baconified heart) grilled cheeeeeese.
Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the bacon bin in action.
Talisman Designs is a small business that specializes in at-home cooking and entertaining products.
Promising review:"This thing is awesome. Big enough to hold plenty of grease without taking up a ton of space. I keep mine in the butter compartment of my fridge next to the butter. I poured the grease right from the pan, still very hot right into it, and popped the lid on and put it in the fridge. Next time I needed some grease, I scooped some out with a spoon, no muss no fuss. Much better than the glass jar I was using. My only warning is if you get it out when people are visiting keep an eye on it. It's so cute and so good at its job everyone will want one." — John Dollard
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
10. "Vampire Killer," a savory, oh-so-satisfying parmesan garlic spice blend you'll want to shake all over everything from grilled chicken to pasta to popcorn. (Sorry, Edward.)
Amazon
Spiceology is a small business that specializes in unique spice and herb blends.
Promising review: "I use this on steaks. Mix it in butter for my lobster. It's great on popcorn. Terrific mixed in mashed potatoes. You can use this for so many things. I love the way the garlic is mixed with the parmesan. It's a delicious, well balanced spice. Abundant in flavor." — Plumaria Queen
11. And an Oreo-inspired Cookies & Cream Shakeable Topping so the next time you need to prove your love for the iconic cookie, you can just whip out this shaker and rest your case. This delicious blend is perfect for coffee, ice cream, yogurt, popcorn, oatmeal, and even soda, according at least one reviewer whose brain I admire.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I love feeling like I'm drinking expensive coffee right at home. So fun to be my own barista. It adds an extra touch of flavor and lifts my mood. Not bad for not much money, and makes my coffee friends feel special, too." — Toi Fiore
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in four blends).
12. A "Slice'n Store" butter dish that will stop you from dirtying a bunch of butter knives and leaving them on the counter. All you do is pop this out of the fridge, slice of a lil' (or large) slab with the built-in blade, and be on your merry, buttery way.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "Great addition to my kitchen essentials. Its durability is impressive, and it is straightforward to use. What makes it a keeper is how easy it is to clean. The quality is top-notch, and it's definitely worth the price. It stores butter well and fits perfectly in my fridge. Plus, the color adds a nice touch to my kitchen decor. Overall, it's a fantastic kitchen gadget." — Tiffany Mueller
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
13. A sleek, well-ventilated, modern-style bread box with a cutting board lid that reviewers are obsessed with not just because it's beautiful, but because it keeps their bread *carb's kiss* levels of fresh. If you love artisan loaves or make your own bread at home, this is worth the investment and then some!
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"I absolutely LOVE this bread box. It's not just gorgeous; it's well-made. Our homemade bread stays so fresh inside, it looks lovely on the counter, and the cutting board lid is very handy. This bread box is the best money I've spent on our home this year, and I highly recommend purchasing this for yourself if you bake, or as a gift for friends who love fresh bread." — Sondra G. Milgrim
Get it from Amazon for $54.95 (available in four styles).
14. An electric travel kettle for all the tea, coffee, and oatmeal monsters out there who want instant, portable access to their lifeblood. People love this for at-home use when they're not traveling, too — it boils SUPER fast for quick cuppas, and has a small profile that makes it easy to put away.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review:"This gorgeous lil' portable kettle has been the best companion during all my travels this year! I drink a LOT of tea and am religious about making my special elixirs and healing potions every morning. I appreciate how quickly it heats up, and how long it keeps water hot. I have always followed the directions and use common sense when handling it, and have never had any issues with anything so far. Very satisfied with this purchase! Would highly recommend." — Sassy Mama
Get it from Amazon for $35.99+ (available in six colors).
15. An easy twist-off jar opener that clamps right onto the lid so you can pop that sucker open without summoning half the neighborhood to see who is mighty enough to free your olives from the jar.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "This gizmo grips securely so that twisting it does the job. The best jar opener tool I have tried and I have tried many. I have severe disabilities of my hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders from rheumatoid arthritis so opening stuff has really been a problem for me. This is a great device." — NYer
Get it from Amazon for $26.99.
16. Teeccino, a sleep-deprived coffee lover's savior — this caffeine-free, acid-free strong herbal blend steeps like regular tea, but somehow mimics the taste of coffee so brilliantly that you'll get all the flavor and satisfaction without the insomnia of a late-night cuppa.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Teeccino is a small business that specializes in coffee-like herbal teas
I love tea in the morning but I always want something that tastes strong and bitter to go with my dessert at night, but decaf coffee felt too risky, since there's still a bit of caffeine in it. Enter Teeccino, which tastes miles better than decaf coffee, and is fully caffeine-free. It's so rich that it feels like it has notes of chocolate in it, and so satisfying that I had to check the label a zillion times just to make sure I hadn't misread it, and it secretly was coffee. Nope — just a very delicious faux coffee beverage that pairs well with every dessert in my pantry.
Get a 25-count of single-serve bags from Amazon for $14.99 (available in other sizes).
Check out the Teeccino Amazon storefront for a TON of other herbal caffeine-free flavors and varieties!
17. Our Place's new Splendor Blender, a super strong, ridiculously beautiful personal blender perfect for making smoothies and shakes on the go — particularly because it comes with an adorable personal cup and drinking lid set. Also, a moment for this aesthetic, please?? Our Place never misses.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "This blender is perfect! It can be left on the counter because it is so pretty and it's super strong. Everyone loves to make their own individual smoothie in the house, it blends big frozen strawberries with no problem, and it's aesthetically lovely! We love it!" — Amazon Shopper 77
Get it from Amazon for $100+ (available in four colors).
18. " Ever Toast," a wildly clever plate for toast and grilled sandwiches that keeps your meal elevated so it doesn't get all soggy on the bottom. Now you can take your time eating your toasted grub get that oh-so-satisfying CROOONNNCHHH in every bite.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Ever Toast is a small business that specializes in unique dinner plates.
Promising review: "GENIUSSSSS. Thiss product is NECESSARY if you hate soggy sandwiches, pizzas, waffles! Works great, keeps everything crispy and toast, we love it here! And for two plates it's a great price!" — Paolo Rivas
Get a set of two from Amazon for $14.99.
19. A nonstick heart-shaped egg and pancake pan so precious that if breakfast wasn't already your favorite meal of the day, it's about to steal your literal *and* figurative heart now.
www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I make mini omelets in this frying pan and have had 100% success. Just toss in the ingredients you like (e.g., cheese, bacon, sausage, spinach) and it comes out perfect. It is also easy to clean and relatively small so it doesn't take up a lot of space in the 'pots' drawer, too. A+ all the way here." — Freestyle Barracuda
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors and in non-heart styles).
20. A fast-acting, plant-based Keurig machine cleaning kit you can use to get rid of all the crusted-on grinds and residue that are *definitely* affecting the taste of your coffee, even if you haven't noticed over time. It works in less than five minutes, and has enough product to keep your Keurig running clean and smooth for a full year.
www.amazon.com
New England Stories is a small business established in 1987 that specializes in plant-based cleaning products.
Promising review: "I've had my coffee machine for a year now, and I have never washed it. I didn't know what these products were! The solution is odorless, which is super nice! Works very well with Keurig machines and is user-friendly. It takes about five minutes to complete the cleaning process from start to finish, which is very speedy. A great value, you get four uses out of this product!" — Matteo's Mom
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
21. A Grim Steeper silicone tea infuser to remind you that life is, in fact, too short to skip on your delicious morning cuppa.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
22. A fast-drying sink stone caddy you can prop your sponges or toothbrushes on and watch the magic happen — the water will "poof!" evaporate in less than two minutes, preventing your sink area from becoming a soggy, sudsy mess.
www.amazon.com
Momo Lifestyle is a small business that specializes in family-friendly homewares.
Promising review:"We got this for the bathroom that the kids use. Anybody with little kids will know that they make a constant mess. We had water all over the counter, mainly around the soap dispenser, and it was causing problems. This has helped a great deal. There is less water on the counter and I even like to put water on it sometimes just to watch it evaporate within about 60-90 seconds. It was totally worth the money." — David P.
23. A magnetic microwave cover perfect for anyone whose Panera soup obsession is a little *too* well documented over every surface inside of their microwave. This conveniently sticks to the top of your microwave so you can pop it right off whenever you're looking to tear up some broccoli cheddar on a wild Tuesday night.
www.amazon.com
Hover Cover is a small business that specializes in microwave covers for home kitchen use.
Check out a TikTok of the microwave cover in action.
Promising review:"If you live in a small space like I do, this will seriously change your life. No longer do I have to struggle to find somewhere to put my cover if I'm heating up a cup of coffee. Just attach it to the roof of your microwave. Hopefully, you have a flat surface; check before you buy. There is a slight learning curve as to where to put it or the force or lack thereof needed, but after a couple of times, it's second nature. Love, love, love this product. I'm probably going to get some for Christmas presents next year, it's one of those items that you wouldn't necessarily buy for yourself, but it will change your life." — Rachel
Get it from Amazon for $24.95 (also available in two-packs).
24. A leaf-shaped herb and kale stripper you can use for easy meal prepping when "all things delicious and green" are on the menu. It even features a curved edge for easy herb chopping.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review: "This is one of those random kitchen gadgets that you would never even think about existing, but it's brilliant! We grew kale in our garden, and I was spending way too much time cutting the leaves off the stems, then I stumbled across this tool being suggested on a blog. I immediately ordered one and was very impressed! It saves me so much time stripping those leaves. I also use it for rosemary, oregano, and other herbs." — Elaine S.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
25. A Frenchie-themed cheese board to serve some top notch char-woof-erie at your next party.
www.amazon.com
House Party 2K20 is a small business that specializes in unique serving accessories.
Promising review:"I absolutely love this bulldog charcuterie board, it's the perfect size and it's made so well. All the dog lovers wanted to know where to purchase one. I used it twice already for two parties and it was a hit!" — RN79
Get it from Amazon for $21.95+ (available in two sizes).
26. Small Batch Cookies, tailor made for folks who live alone *or* for people who want to broaden their baking horizons, but don't want to deal with the mess of big batches (or the leftovers!). This book takes you through a bunch of delicious recipes for one to six people using minimal equipment, so you can have hassle-free treats and live your most delicious life.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "Edd Kimber is so creative with his bakes and this book is full of fun and interesting cookie recipes. love the flavors in this book...subtle and layered. Baking small batches is surprisingly liberating. Most ingredients are on hand and I'm not stressing about what to do with large quantities of cookies. With small amounts, it feels easier to play and experiment." — Monica
Get it from Amazon for $20.10.
27. A minimalist whale-inspired colander ladle that is up to an entire *ocean* of kitchen tasks, from stirring to serving to draining. It's also heat-resistant, dishwasher-safe, and too darn cute to resist.
Amazon
Promising review: "It works great and it's adorable. I bought this not as a gag gift, but because my mom has issues lifting heavy pans, especially when they're full. She liked the color, the subtle whale appearance, and its usefulness." — mystacheandie
Get it from Amazon for $4.89+ (available in two colors, and as regular ladle that doesn't drain).
28. A space-saving yogurt organizer necessary for anyone whose future baby names are "Chobani," "Oikos," and "Fage." These free up space in your fridge out of respect to the other non-yogurt items that you benevolently allow to also live there.
www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com
Check out a TikTok of the yogurt storage rack in action.
Storage Theory is a small business that specializes in home and office organizational products.
Promising review: "Works great, wish I would have gotten more!! So very handy to have and see how many yogurts we have. Comes with two super-strong 3M adhesive stripes. Highly recommend product!!" — Amanda Adams
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in packs of one or two).
29. A Potato Express, because I think if we're all being honest with ourselves, the older we get, the more we crave a weeknight at home with Netflix in our eyes and a warm potato in our laps. This cooks up to *four* potatoes flawlessly in mere minutes so you don't have to wait to go to clown town with cheese and other fixings.
www.youtube.com
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Mielle's Rosemary Mint strengthening oil, a TikTok-hall-of-famer that almost 80,000 5-star reviews confirm is worth the hype. The biotin-infused serum can help strengthen hair and encourage new growth, leaving hair feeling fuller. Reviewers say it's helped with everything from receding hairlines to sparse eyebrows — who knew something so effective was just sitting on a drugstore shelf this whole time? A container of oatmeal paw butter that'll soothe and relieve your dog's cracked, dry paws. Its eco-friendly formula is pH-balanced so it's safe for pets, even if licked or swallowed. *seriously considers licking it myself to see if it really tastes like oatmeal* Promising review: "This stuff smells so good! It smoothed my dog's paw pads the next day. It felt so soft! This is a miracle I love this product and it's a great price! You get a good amount of product. Thank you so much. This has helped my pups so much!" —SamiGet it from Amazon for $15.05. Juno & Co.'s Clean 10 Cleansing Balm made with a blend of pearl barley and vitamin E to completely obliterate every speck of makeup on your face. Seriously, you'll feel so fresh and baby-faced, you'll wonder if that eyeliner was really as smudge-proof as you previously thought. A Howard Products Feed-N-Wax wood polish and conditioner to give your furniture an impossibly lustrous shine previously never seen in your home. The carnauba wax and beeswax enhance and protect your wood from drying out, so you can keep your great-grandmother's rocking chair in tip-top shape with just a few swipes. Etude Dear Darling Water Tint, a smudge-proof lip tint and blush offering such a delicate pop of color, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with lipstick or powdered blush. Reviewers love that it's buildable, doesn't transfer, and works better than pricier brands. A shoe stretch spray if you have a pair of gorgeous loafers or sandals you love but never of the agonizing pain that comes with it. This spray will gradually stretch them out without staining or fading and is likely more effective than the freezer trick. A roll of 10M wood grain tape perfect for frameless mirrors that could use a little more panache. The waterproof adhesive is easy to apply and does a convincing impression of wood grain. When you're ready for a change, the tape peels off easily. A reviewer-loved scar gel made with panthenol to help encourage skin regeneration and allantoin to moisturize and help speed up the healing process. The formula even works on older scars, and customers have also used it to soothe burns, sunburns, and tattoos. An easy-to-apply, one-hour self-tanner that's cheaper yet more effective than most competitors. The vegan formula is easy to blend without streaks or uneven patches, which makes it a hit with beginners (36,000+ positive ratings and counting). While the tan may be instant, the fade is nice and gradual. A TikTok-loved lip plumper set with day and night serums that work together to give your pout a boost. Use the minty one at night to hydrate and smooth, and then the tingly ginger one to give your lips a little more volume. Fruit and veggie wash because just rinsing with water doesn't feel like enough and using actual soap feels like too much. This spray is the middle ground and helps safely remove wax, soil, and handling residue. Promising review: "This stuff is great and I have ordered it several times. In the past, I just rinsed fruit or vegetables, but I was at the grocery store recently and saw a very cute kid touching all the fruit. He also had a runny nose and I just thought, 'better remember to really wash the fruit when I get home.' The great thing about Veggie Wash is you can feel the wax film wash off of certain fruit. It really does a great job of cleaning and doesn't leave any odd smell or taste. As I said, I've bought this before and make sure my kitchen always has a spray bottle nearby." —Me in SoCalGet three spray bottles from Amazon for $25.86. A hair-lightening spray to brighten up hair by TWO shades or more! Spritz a little of this citrus and chamomile spray onto damp hair, then activate it with heat-styling tools. I recommend blow drying and hitting it with a curling iron or straightener for the best results. Over 7,000 5-star raters love it because it's less harsh than bleach and even works on dark hair.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Amazon truck crash causes full closure of Highway 50 in Sacramento
( — If you were on Highway 50 eastbound of Highway 99 on Sunday morning, you may have been stuck in traffic for a while. According to California Highway Patrol South Sacramento, a solo Amazon truck crash led to the full closure of Highway 50 eastbound lanes just west of Highway 99 around 4:45 a.m., forcing traffic to be diverted to Highway 99 north and southbound. Fan favorite drink makes a comeback on Chick-fil-A menu for the summer There were no injuries reported, and crews from CHP, Caltrans, and towing services teamed up to clear the scene and restore the traffic flow as fast as they could. Let this be a reminder: If you miss your exit, don't risk a last-minute maneuver—just take the next exit and safely turn around, said CHP South Sacramento. 'One small mistake can cost far more than a few extra minutes.' All lanes are now open for traffic, according to CHP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
'Dead Girl' fights cancer and more, lives to share her story
May 30—Palliative nurse's notes, Aug. 2, 2019: "Participated in Hospice meeting with patient. Seth (spouse), mother, father, bedside RN. Andrea from Hospice was on speakerphone. Discussed philosophy of Hospice and services they provide. Advised that by accepting Hospice, patients have a terminal diagnosis with less then six months to live. Patient was surprised by this, stating she would not qualify. Gina had several questions regarding cancer diagnosis, stating, 'I don't think I am terminal' and unaware of staging/diagnosis .... Patient continues to repeat she is only 46 years old and would like to continue with a treatment as offered and hopefully start immunotherapy when able. Seth was in agreement and supportive." — Book excerpt WATERTOWN — Eugenia Mancini Horan opens the front door of her parent's home on outer Bradley Street to welcome a visitor, this writer, who tells her that from what he's read about her, she looks amazing. "Your reaction is much like when I go to a new doctor and they open the door and are like, 'I was expecting someone deader,'" she says, laughing. Eugenia ("Gina") has crawled, bled, begged, argued, rejoiced and has been mocked through the ravages of stage 4 cancer. It is simply amazing, a miracle some say, that she is alive and cancer free. She recounts her 2019 cancer journey in the self-published, "The Dead Girl's Guide to Terminal Cancer: A True Tale of Anxiety, Horror & Hope." It's been the number one best seller on Amazon's lung cancer category for several weeks. It's a hardbound 400 pages, the size of a college textbook and its emotional weight vastly outweighs its 2 pounds. Its cover features a deer-in-the headlights-like self-portrait of the author, who has won a slew of awards on the local arts scene for her oil paintings. Readers have called the book darkly humorous and poignant. With its various characters, tragic subplots of her youth, family dynamic and medical notes, its is also novelesque. For the gist of it, Gina summarizes it all in the book's afterward: "There are no heroes in this story, no saviors, no 'Good Doc With a Cure,' coming in for a last-minute save. There is only medical bias, cancer bias, and the notion that a girl who is afraid of the world can't fight like a rabid animal to stay alive." 'Let me live' "My whole story is fighting people to get them to let me live," Gina said in the room of her parents' home, where in 2019, a hospital bed was set up in front of a picture window and where many expected her to meet her demise while battling lung cancer which she said had spread to her trachea, bronchus and small bowel. "Somebody should be treated like they're dead when they are already dead." "It's such a scary diagnosis and we have put such faith in the white lab coat," said Seth, who helped his wife with the book. "I know because we did it. You will cling to anything you are told. That has been the most horrifying, duh! moment during this whole process: to have the curtain pulled back and it's like, these are just people. And people make mistakes. And every one of them made a mistake with her." "When putting out the book, you couldn't think about someone reading it because it's like, 'Here is every bad thing that ever happened to me and people treating me badly.' Would you like to read it? It's embarrassing," Gina said. "But I thought in it, there's got to be something that can help people: look for these red flags, don't just trust. I've been a cancer advocate for five years and now I have two enemies." One of those enemies, she said, is God. "Which sounds harsh, but people pray to God that he's going to cure cancer, so they become inactive." The second: "People implicitly trusting that their doctors have their best health in mind when they come up with cures. No doctor comes up with a cure. It's a list. It's, 'If you have this cancer, in this stage, this is what you get.'" Gina's "Dead Girl's Guide to Terminal Cancer" encapsulates one year, 2019, from when she was diagnosed to when she saved herself, thanks to her desperate pleas to try immunotherapy — specifically Keytruda — a type of immunotherapy that works by blocking a pathway to help prevent cancer cells from hiding. Immunotherapy uses a person's own immune system to fight cancer. Blood and a diagnosis Gina woke up on Christmas morning, 2018, at their home in North Syracuse and thought she had the flu or something. When she coughed, she noticed little flecks of blood on a tissue. As a smoker, she thought it could be normal. "But one night, it was abnormal," she said. "It was nose-bleed-like." She also experienced shortness of breath and a racing heartbeat. Gina said she has had symptoms of anxiety disorder since age 5 and was finally diagnosed with it at age 17. Considered disabled, she has Medicaid. At the medical appointment to address what she was coughing up, she said she was told, 'I think you just got yourself worked up with your anxiety.'" "And I'm like, 'That's powerful. I was torn because I wanted her to say it was nothing, and then when she said it was nothing, it was, 'I can't let it go. Can we run some blood work?' By the time we got home, the phone was ringing. I failed that blood work bad." What followed was a series of tests and scans that wreaked havoc on Gina's anxiety. She was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in mid-February, 2019 at a Syracuse hospital, one of two hospitals in that city which treated her during her year-long ordeal. She doesn't name the hospitals in the book and requested the Syracuse hospitals not be named here. Radiology summary/Feb. 15, 2019: Impression: Right apical lobulated mass is seen. Right hilar lymph nodes are seen possibly exerting a mass effect on the right main bronchus. No pulmonary arterial embolus is identified." In the top portion of her uppermost lobe, there was an unusual mass. Also, some lymph nodes had grown large enough to restrict airflow through her right main bronchus. Surgery, which didn't make sense to Gina, was recommended. "How was taking out two lobes of my lungs — to remove the origin tumor that wasn't causing any issue — going to help with the mass that was actually threatening my life? Was this just busy work?" she writes in the book. A cancer diagnosis can bring thoughts of chemotherapy. That wasn't originally in the cards for Gina, a "card-carrying emetrophopbic." Emetophobia is the fear of vomiting and can be triggered just by seeing someone else being sick. As an alternative, Gina and Seth tried highly concentrated cannabis oil. Meanwhile, Gina's parents, Eugene and Clorise Mancini, urged her to come home to Watertown as her health declined. Gina and Seth moved there in May, 2019. "The drive there filled me with both anxiety and salvation," Gina wrote in the book. "Seth figured out how to get the oxygen compressor to work in the car." Gina could not walk to the front door, and it marked the first of hundreds of times that Seth would carry his wife. This year, on the sixth-year anniversary of her diagnosis, Gina, on Facebook, paid tribute to Seth, who she married in 2006: "My husband dropped everything when I got sick to be my caregiver. For five months everywhere I needed to go, he carried me because I couldn't walk. Bedpans? Did that. Suctioning out my trach? That too. Butt wiping? Yup, even that. Yet, most days, we still laughed because we were still us." Gina entered Walker Center for Cancer Care at Samaritan Medical Center, Watertown, for the first time on June 5, 2019, where she would stay as an inpatient for a week. She agreed to start chemotherapy on June 7, which continued weekly for five infusions before she had a hyperbaric breathing emergency and was taken by ambulance to an intensive care unit at a Syracuse hospital. She was at that ICU from July 17 to Aug. 9. "The chemo has failed me. I'm in a very bad place medically,"she wrote in a July 18, 2019 Facebook post. She was given a zero percent chance of survival. Hematology & Oncology Fellow notes July 31, 2019 "Patient has received palliative radiation therapy. 3 daily fractions in addition to one endobronchial brachytherapy ... Keytruda will not be given to an inpatient and patient needs to be more medically stable to be eligible for and tolerate further therapy." In the ICU, Gina was starving and her weight plummeted. A couple of photographs of a gaunt-looking Gina are on the book's back cover. "The reason I put those pictures there is because I was not sick because of cancer, but because of not being treated. It was, 'We are not going to feed the patient because the patient is dying. The patient is dying because she isn't being fed.' One of the reasons I wrote the book is because nobody around me understood the extent of the abuse that was happening, I know without a doubt, had I been able to talk, the entire story would have been different, because I would not have been docile about this happening." Excerpt from Psychological evaluation Aug. 1, 2019 "Patient clearly and persistently repeated ... that she wanted palliative care only rather than aggressive Rx intended to extend life because aggressive Rx was unlikely to work, and hospitalization was so unpleasant." "In retrospect, I had made an almost fatal error," Gina wrote. "I hadn't been willing to lie about my belief in my own death in order to get out." In other words, she said she had to be purposely deceptive to get into Hospice. On Aug. 9, 2019, Gina left the hospital for Hospice care at her North Syracuse home. It was a Friday. "The Hospice coordinator told us that someone would be back in 72 hours," Gina wrote. "She also told Seth I had about three days to live. What excruciating math." Gina received Hospice care for six days, after which she and Seth cut ties with it. Her goal was to return to the home she grew up in, in Watertown. She arrived Aug. 15. Seth carried her into the house. "I knew I was in very bad shape," Gina wrote. "But there was no time for pessimism, and the hard work ahead didn't scare me." At SMC, two weeks after her "two weeks to live," she pleaded to a doctor for a Keytruda prescription. But the doctor would not budge in her refusal. "My temper now getting the best of me, I snarled: 'So, what you're telling me is that you are afraid the Keytruda might kill me before the cancer you know will kill me? Is that the argument? Am I clear on that?' But please, please, just give me a f****** chance to fail. Please don't make the choice for me." The doctor relented. On Aug. 29, 2019, Gina received her first Keytruda infusion. It would be a 30-minute process every three weeks. Two days later, she wrote that her fever subsided. Her lung opened up 15 days later, creating movement in her body, near her rib cage, that was frightening at first. By the second infusion, she was sitting up on her own. She would continue to get stronger, building back every muscle in her body. By late September, Gina was using a walker in her parents' driveway. On Halloween, at her fourth Keytruda infusion at the Walker Cancer Center, Gina saw a nurse that she hadn't seen in over a month. Her book recounts the nurse's reaction: "I watched all the color drain from her face, and she dropped to her knees as she grabbed the cross around her neck. She began to sob right there on the floor. I ran over to comfort her, and she still looked at me as if I were a ghost." Gina believes she could have been given Keytruda on day one, sparing her body the indignity of wasting away. It would have also voided a $2 million ICU stay, she said. Despite being on Medicaid, Gina said she and Seth acquired about $200,000 in medical debt, noting, "living against medical advice isn't covered by Medicaid." They deployed their credit cards, sought financial help from her parents and a GoFundMe drive raised $15,000. "Nobody fights, especially not on Medicaid, because they expect you can't." No cancer, no naïvety Gina's most recent medical appointment reflected being 5 1/2 years cancer free. She is also free from her naïvety relating to medical care. "I think when you see a movie about a severe illness, there's a kind, compassionate, dedicated doctor cheering on the patient, staying up nights to figure out a way, a solution, a plan. I kinda expected that. I miss that naive me. And the patient is stoic, brave, suffering beautifully and angelically. Almost from the day of my diagnosis, I thought of that patient, the Hallmark Heroine. The thing about that woman? She always dies at the end, and people sob because it was so unfair." But that wasn't her fate, or in her nature. "I'd already had 46 years of being cynical, sarcastic and a bit of a jokester. And cancer didn't change that, because I refused to let it own me. To take over, to take away my ability to make fun of any and everything. They say a positive attitude is super beneficial in cancer, but I hope I have shattered that belief." Being "afraid of the world" was also a factor in Gina's cancer battle. "That made it easier to deal with, in a way. It was just another thing to be scared of. I was equally as afraid of going to the hospital, as I was of dying. It absolutely 100 percent saved my life. Without doubt or hesitation. Anxiety teaches you to look for the danger, seek all the exits, and always be prepared to flee. But perhaps above all, avoid situations that feel terrifying. Everything after February 15, 2019 felt out of control, and terrifying. No one in the medical world would have conversations anymore, they only talked at me." The thing about anxiety with PTSD, Gina explained, is that one can become very calm in chaos. "You think clear, sharp and exact. Stillness and boredom are terrifying, but the world blowing up clears the mind. And I think that's why I was able to spot flaws in my treatment plans and question the motivations for them that were nonsensical to me." A key pep talk Despite the medical professionals who "only talked at" Gina and recalled in her book, she also highlighted in her book a few individuals that gave her hope. One was a "Dr. Lee" who was doing a rotation as a hospitalist at SMC, while doing his actual residency at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo. He now works in Texas. "Dr. Lee was my magic. It's like he came in at the beginning with the best pre-game pep talk, and I followed it the rest of my journey. He was young and didn't have the ego or entitlement I've seen in so many other oncologists I encountered. He was enthusiastic about killing cancer. Stoked. Raring to go. Running into work to kill some cancer!" Gina said that he was also the first and last doctor to root for her. "Which likely sounds odd. But the doctors who saw me get better weren't impressed. It wasn't remarkable to them. They just thought I'd die." The biggest gaping wound Gina said she encountered in oncology was the lack of "heart" she saw in it. "The point is, if there were more Dr. Lee's, I honestly believe more people would survive. Caring spills over into treatment plans, into feeling valued, into a bond of trust, and helps avert not distrusting the doctors, the medicine, the conspiracies." Last month, Gina sent Dr. Lee a copy of her book with a note inside. "And now I feel a bit lighter. It was, in some way, vital for me to let him know how deeply he mattered, that I didn't die, and the part he played in that. And how many fans he has out there in the world now." Helping others As an advocate, Gina said she is contacted nearly every day by people who become familiar with her story. "I'm absolutely thrilled others find something of merit in the book. I didn't want to publish it. It was never my intent. But I felt a deep sense of survivor's guilt, and also I had seen and heard things that might help others avoid some of the unnecessary suffering I endured." Gina said that doctors still regard her as a Stage 4 cancer patient. "The reason is, is that somewhere in my body could be invisible, undetectable, latent cancer cells waiting to come back. The problem with that is that everybody has that. You do, he does," she said, pointing to Seth. I probably don't, because that Keytruda is bad ass!" Her situation is an issue each time she goes to a doctor, "From people being surprised, to the question of whether or not my being screened for other cancers is necessary because, I'm dying." She then laughed, and with well-earned sarcasm added, "I'm always 'dying.' Like, damn! I can't get a break."
