Hollye Harrington Jacobs

The period of time when you are waiting for a diagnosis is brutal. There's really no other way to describe it. As a nurse-turned-patient, I really had no idea just how difficult this waiting period really is. Waiting for my diagnosis of FBC (f-bomb breast cancer) was simultaneously heart-wrenching, nerve-wracking,...

Right after my FBC diagnosis (f-bomb breast cancer for new readers), my husband and I had an information gathering week. After a series of diagnostic tests to determine the extent of the disease, we had a series of meetings to interview doctors to determine who would become a part of...

Today, I find myself at a real crossroads right now with big decisions to make about chemo and radiation, e.g., to do or not to do. If doing, how much and when?

Rather than make my breast cancer situation subjective, I need to be fully objective as I take the...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking costs Californian taxpayers $9 billion every year in health care costs, and much more in lost productivity. This translates into smoking-caused costs of $15 per pack of cigarettes. And yet, at just 87 cents per pack,...

In the last week, I have come to the realization that I am still having side effects from breast cancer treatment. The Silver Lining is that these side effects no longer require days lingering over or near the porcelain potty. Rather, these side effects are psychic. The not-so-Silver Lining is...

Because funerals serve a valuable function of helping the living acknowledge, accept and cope with the death of a loved one, children who are old enough not only can but should be included in funeral arrangements.

What is "old enough," you ask? It really depends on the child. To...

There is never a dull moment with breast cancer. Surprise after surprise keeps me on my toes. Being in the hospital last week and now home (attached to an IV pole) has made me feel incredibly isolated. Isolated from friends. Isolated from conversation. Isolated from school. Isolated from hiking and...

It's been a rough, chemotherapy-filled week. Last week's treatment knocked me down -- HARD. The cumulative effect of three doses of chemotherapy is really taking its toll... everywhere (body AND mind).

As a matter of (pathetic) fact, I have been quite the "chemo-sobby" girl, i.e., I cry at the drop...

Yesterday, I had to have a sad conversation with a friend whose beloved father is dying of cancer. She called me to ask how best to deliver the news to her kids (age 9 and 11) and whether or not they should see him for the last time.

While...

Day two post-chemo. The side effects are full-on wretched -- again. No amount of drugs, acupuncture, herbs, or meditation seems to mediate, alleviate, annihilate, or eradicate them. Though these words mean the same thing, I seem to have a thesaurus in my head... thinking that if I say "get rid...

Adolescence is a time of exploration, experimentation and introspection. Teens strive to be independent while still wanting to taken care of by their parents. They are challenged by experiencing these feelings simultaneously. (In case you were wondering, yes, this is a bigger version of the push-pull experience during the toddler...

As I was mentally preparing for chemotherapy infusion #4 (out of 6) for breast cancer, a dear friend emailed a very timely question:

How does one

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

This question is especially timely because during my relatively predictable...

Today is chemotherapy infusion number four (out of six). Despite being horrendously sick (none of the anti-nausea medications work for me, unfortunately), I still feel like the "Little Engine That Could" (... try, at least!).

In addition to being a hospice nurse and social worker, fashion has always been a...

Now that I'm fully immersed in treatment, it's time to go out on a limb and broach the topic that has been on my mind since the time of diagnosis, but that I haven't brought up because it's, well, it's anti-establishment -- in a BIG way.

Here goes: I have...

I find myself at a real crossroads right now with big decisions to make about my treatment for breast cancer. As the end of chemotherapy is on the horizon (which is a wonderful Silver Lining to all of this nonsense), I must make decisions about radiation -- e.g., to do...

At 3:30 a.m., the third one of the night has already hit -- the joys of hot flashes.

Though I knew it was only a matter of time (because generally chemotherapy for F-Bomb Breast Cancer puts women into early menopause), I was holding out hope that I might actually avoid...

Since the time of my diagnosis of FBC (F-bomb breast cancer), we have talked openly with our five-year-old daughter about both the disease and its treatment.

While the personal nature of this circumstance made the conversations emotionally challenging, my professional experience as an adult and pediatric hospice nurse and...

Although I live in Santa Barbara, California, the one great thing about my course of radiation for my unfortunate bout with breast cancer is that I was able to do my treatments in San Francisco. Yes, this means that I moved to San Francisco for 5 ½ weeks. Sounds like...

I've come to accept my bald head. While I'm don't exactly feel like "Bald is Beautiful" on me, I feel like "Bald ain't so bad."

Every time something is taken away from me (my breasts, my hair, my dignity), I am more grateful for what I still do have,...

It's been a rough, rough week. My last round of chemotherapy knocked me down -- hard.

The cumulative effect of three doses of intravenous TAC (Tamoxifen, Adriamycin, Cytoxan) chemotherapy is really taking its toll ... everywhere (body and mind).

As a matter of fact, I have now met my...