Tag: Nicole Phillips

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


I had the strangest thing happen to me the other day. Someone totally burst my kindness bubble, and I was left standing in the middle of my bedroom wondering if I should scream, cry or just go back to bed and pretend it never happened.

I was home, recovering from my mastectomy surgery and unable to do anything for myself. Literally, ... Read More


Thursday, August 13, 2015. This is going down in the books as the day my husband first saw the results of my mastectomy. It’s been four weeks and two days since the surgery.

I, myself, went from refusing to look at the wounds to staring in fascination at the flat spot and incision line where my breast used to be.

Every ... Read More


I was sitting on the beach in my little chair looking at my phone. All of a sudden I looked up and saw this…

My husband of 15 years and my 11 year old daughter, both with their hands on their hips, waiting to catch the next wave. My heart swelled and I thought, “I love that man.”

My parents got ... Read More


There are certain things that seem to have disappeared during this cancer journey, the most alarming of which is my inability to filter my words before I speak. I think it, therefore I say it. Sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s not.

Saul must have the same problem, because he is constantly cracking jokes about catching my breast cancer. He’s lucky he ... Read More


I made it to Myrtle Beach! That was the biggest thing about having the surgery. I didn’t want to miss this family vacation that we have had planned for almost a year, but I also didn’t want to go and end up bringing home a nasty infection as a souvenir. In the end, it all worked out just fine. I ... Read More


Remember that surgery I narrowly escaped earlier this week? Yeah, well, it caught me. The doctor reluctantly agreed not to do surgery on Tuesday, but by Thursday it was evident that my wound was going in the wrong direction.

I sheepishly texted several very attractive pictures of blood and puss and general yuckiness to my doctor’s cellphone. Unfortunately, I sent the ... Read More


When I was first diagnosed back in May, Saul and I did everything we could to keep busy. The busier you are, the less time you have to think. It worked pretty well, but I remember every once in a while it would catch up with me. I would be on a fun family adventure when all of a sudden ... Read More


It turns out the lip gloss and sparkly earrings worked! The doctor totally forgot about the surgery!

Okay, he didn’t forget… but he agreed with my assessment that my body was doing a fine job of healing on its own and perhaps we could give it just a little more time to finish the job.

I was sent home with strict orders ... Read More


I may or may not be having surgery again today. The skin near my mastectomy incision may or may not be dying. The doctor will look at it again today at 10am make a game-time decision. If he deems the skin dead, I’ll be back on the operating table by 1pm.

I hate to be melodramatic, but I am completely freaking ... Read More