“It’s only breast cancer.” That’s what I wrote in a text message to a girlfriend. I wasn’t trying to be flippant or funny. It’s true. When I start to feel sorry for myself, I remind myself, “It’s only breast cancer.”
My kids are happy, my husband is healthy (and we love each other which is a total bonus), I get to ... Read More
Jordan and I are on our way home from our girls’ trip to Chicago. Literally, we are on the plane in the air. I’m probably breaking some rules here, but the flight attendants are awfully friendly to me. They must know I have breast cancer.
Chicago was a blast! We met my friend, Andrea, and her daughter, Peyton, and absolutely crushed ... Read More
Mark this down: At age 11, my daughter, Jordan, has decided to become a missionary. Unfortunately for Jordan, her parents have not, so she will have to hit the pause button on that dream for a few more years.
Jordan’s passion and compassion was recently ignited when she attended a presentation by a woman who spends time each summer volunteering in ... Read MoreSaul and I met with the plastic surgeon at THE JAMES today. Let me tell you, as professional as that male doctor was, it was still incredibly uncomfortable to be sitting in a room with my husband while another man took very precise measurements of my breasts. Saul and I couldn’t look each other in the eyes because we knew ... Read More
We meet with the plastic surgeon tomorrow. I’ve decided to go ahead with the single mastectomy instead of the lumpectomy. Doing the lumpectomy would have meant radiation, and if the surgeon couldn’t get enough clear tissue around the tumors, she would have had to go back at a later date and do the mastectomy anyway. If I want to gamble, ... Read More
It came out in the paper yesterday. It wasn’t really a shock, since I’m the one who wrote it. I thought I had better use my weekly column to tell people about the cancer diagnosis before they heard it somewhere else. It’s been a year since we moved away, but I still have so many friends in Fargo and I ... Read More
“You’ve done a lot of acts of kindness today, Mom.” I seriously cannot get anything past my 11-year old-daughter.
I had just hopped back in the car with a Diet Mountain Dew that I picked up at the gas station for a neighbor.
“What do you mean, Jo?” I honestly couldn’t think of any act of kindness I had done besides the ... Read More
I went a little off the rails last night. I started reading the enormous binder of information given to me at THE JAMES, and for the first time, I was forced to think about exactly what it means to have a breast removed. I saw pictures, I learned about the recovery time involved, I learned that no matter how ... Read More
If I were on a reality show right now I would be asking people to vote: Lumpectomy? or Mastectomy? Can’t you just picture to the promos? Nicole’s Breasts are Your Business! Cast your vote now!
Eh hem… since I am NOT on reality TV, it looks like I am on my own.
Saul and I met with the surgical oncologist today at ... Read More
I have information! Now I just need to figure out what to do with it…
The doctor tells me I have invasive lobular cancer. I always like to be known as special, so thankfully, that same doctor tells me the type of breast cancer I am carrying is pretty rare– found in only 14% of the cases.
It is positive for hormone ... Read More
