The night before we got the final pathology report, I laid in bed and prayed. “God, chemo or no chemo, whatever needs to be done, I accept it. I will trust in you and your plan for my life. But please, God, let me read to the kindergarteners this year. That’s all I want. Please just let me read to ... Read More
Author: nicole
Get-Away to Get a Second Opinion
Two heads are better than one, and two opinions are better than one — as long as those two opinions match.
My husband and I are off on a romantic getaway to get a second opinion on my future breast cancer medication.
Doctor #1 suggested Tamoxifen with no chemo.
Doctor #2 suggested Tamoxifen with no chemo.
Praise the Lord, we have ... Read More
Race for the Cure
There is good in every situation.
That is a scary sentence. All of a sudden my mind is flooded with thoughts of children being abused and babies dying and inexplicable injustices filling our globe.
But I said it, and I believe it. There is good in every situation.
Sometimes it takes a loooong time to find a silver lining. Sometimes ... Read More
Fill ‘er Up
I went in for my second fill today! For those of you new to the cancer world, a “fill” is what they call it when a nurse injects saline into an expander (pouch) under my chest muscle. I go into the clinic in Columbus once a week and little by little, they fill up the expander, forcing my skin to ... Read More
Kindness is Not Put on Hold
I was speaking at an event recently when a woman raised her hand and asked me, “Have you found that kindness truly is contagious?”
What a great question. The answer I gave her was a resounding “Yes!” but I struggled to come up with an immediate specific example. Sometimes kindness comes directly back to us, and sometimes it’s passed on to ... Read More
I’m Not That Mom
You know that mom who sits next to her children each night as they do their homework? The one who helps them pick out their clothes and perhaps even irons when necessary? It’s the same mom who makes her children’s breakfast for them and packs their lunches each morning.
Yeah… that’s not me.
I start off the morning around 7:45 ... Read More
Can I Still Wear Pink?
I’m cancer-free! The medical oncologist suggested I take an anti-estrogen pill, called Tamoxifen, for the next ten years just to make sure no nasty cells get a foot-hold, but it appears that I will not need chemo. It is truly the best case scenario!
Because of my age, Saul and I have decided to get a second opinion with the hope ... Read More
My First Day of School, Too
Today’s a big day in the Phillips’ household. It’s the first day of school! Ben won’t start full-day kindergarten until next Tuesday, but this year all three of my kids are in elementary school!
It’s also my anniversary! It’s Saul’s anniversary, too. Happy 15th, Sweetie!
And it’s P-Day. Today is the day we get the final pathology report which will ... Read More
I’m Sitting Out of this Fight
The air conditioning malfunctioned while we were on vacation. We had a repairman out to fix it yesterday, so the kids can resume sleeping in their upstairs bedrooms. Ben and Charlie (5 & 9) will be sharing a room again for a while since all of the carpeting in Ben’s room needs to be replaced due to water damage.
When I ... Read More
Vacation is Over
We are home from vacation, and now that the laundry is done, I need a vacation. It’s easier to forget about things like breast cancer when you’re thinking about things like the number of fish in the ocean.
Myrtle Beach is a chaotic tourist trap– and I loved it. It’s the perfect place for a girl who’s trying to forget ... Read More
