Cancer is only part of the story: a blog about survivorship, mental health and life after 40

The 7 types of friends every woman should have in her life.

These are the few friendship types worth cultivating – and keeping.

10 facts of female life every woman should know: fashion edition

A few nuggets of wisdom from my many epic fashion fails!

Stop saying “that doesn’t apply to me”

We can all give of our time, our treasure, and our talents to bless those who are hurting. Share your gifts!

When you’re confronted by negativity

Life is already hard. Our human foibles make it harder. Even when you’re not in an awesome mood yourself, you can still share a genuine smile and a kind word with others.

Physical flaws – accepting yours and handling uncouth opinions from others

In middle school, we often walked our P.E. laps around “Big Bertha”, a heavily wooded lot adjacent to the main campus, with just enough of an incline on the last leg to really get your blood pumping. As we got into a good rhythm, classmates moving at a similar pace would naturally fall into smaller…

Staying vigilant in survivorship

When in doubt, get checked out

Mind your vibe (and your tone)

Never underestimate how tone of voice can influence the meaning of your words.

When a friendship ends

You can handle it gracefully (hard to do) or not (easy to do). Either way, the consequences are on you, boo.

When you don’t feel like being nice

Know when it really matters to be nice? When you’re emotional and sleep-deprived and stressed and sad and somebody comes at you with an attitude.

Saying goodbye to the Old Girl

One sneaky day date turned pup adoption blessed our family many times over. How do you say goodbye to that?

Jen’s Chicken Spiedini

Discovered this after a sweet friend drove to my house all the way from Prosper just to make me a home-cooked meal during the height of breast cancer treatment.

Where are the “good” breast cancer charities?

There are four organizations that I have gotten to know this year (so far), and they have captured my attention for all the right reasons.

To my future daughter-in-law and son-in-law

Outside of being entrusted with our own God-given children, I can think of no greater privilege than growing our brood by welcoming you into it, investing in your lives, and being present and purposeful in the future you create together.

Sentinel node injections and pre-op bracketing: what to know before you go

Taking four needles to the nipple is as painful as it sounds. Ditto for wire-guided localization when you’re already badly bruised and sore. Here’s how to deal.

A Parent’s Back to School Prayer

So many feels at the start of this new school year.

Hoard these like they’re going outta style

Ever contemplated why we have nose hairs? Me neither, at least not until I lost all hair everywhere.

If I go before you

Fear of recurrence is always in the back of any survivor’s mind.

When academic subjects are hard for you

Even if a particular concept seems impossible, that doesn’t have to be all she wrote. You got this, sis.

If you decide to bring food, please do these two things first.

These are the absolute must-dos before you bring a meal or have one delivered.

When you babysit and the kids are asleep

Your job isn’t done once the littles in your charge have fallen asleep.

If depression creeps in

When active treatment ends, things don’t just go back to normal (whatever that word even means).

Best anti-nausea tips

Stave off nausea with ginger chew candy, lime-infused lemonade, and comforting Earl Grey tea. And if you have to take Zofran, opt for this version, not that one!

Ways to care for a friend going through cancer treatment

There are lots of ways to show support to a friend affected by cancer. Your time and your talents have the power to help heal!

Things not to say to someone dealing with cancer

These are the things not to say to someone who is fighting cancer. When my husband and I heard them, it usually had the opposite of the intended effect.

Best products for frizzy chemo hair

Frizzy chemo hair can be tamed. These two hair products made a huge difference for me. They also last a long time and are easy to use.

Channel your inner superhero

Regardless of your cancer type or treatment regimen, it’s all brutal. We can get by with a little help from our (superhero) friends.

Owning the hair loss process

This is why I had my head shaved before starting chemo. When you are facing a cancer diagnosis, one of the most upsetting parts of this new reality is brought sharply into focus. Any illusion of control that you thought you had over your life is gone. You are at this weird standstill – an…

These three things make all the difference with your chemo port

Have you ever thought about your second favorite flavor of chewing gum? Or if you have enough plastic wrap in the pantry? If not, now is the time.

If microblading your brows, timing matters (a lot).

You don’t realize how important these face framers are until they completely disappear. In my case it was seemingly overnight. Rude!

Be choosy when choosing your oncologist. Here’s why.

Your medical oncologist will be a critical part of your care team not only during active treatment but also for five to 10 years afterward. In my case, Dr. Ross is the one who bears primary responsibility for managing my treatment plan. He: Collectively these are all done to make sure there aren’t any stubborn…

Tamoxifen thoughts, so far (1 year down, 4 to go)

I dreaded starting this medicine. Article research and chatting with friends didn’t boost my confidence either. Most notably, I had stumbled upon an article about Harry Connick Jr.’s wife and former Victoria’s Secret model Jill Goodacre. The piece noted that she’d finished her five-year Tamoxifen regimen, not without its side effects, most notably weight gain….