Hollye Jacobs's Blog, page 15

Napping

Napping

During this healing process, napping has been an integral part of each and every day.  I have long been a fan of napping, but for the past month, they have been a necessity. One day, I was so tired at 11:00 am that I took myself off to bed. The HOTY (Husband Of The Year) woke me up at 5:30 pm. I thought that my watch stopped but nooooo, I actually slept the entire time.  Now this is not the norm, of course, but naps lasting anywhere between 5 minutes and several hours have definitely been a part of my routine.

In my quest to learn more about the value of napping, I learned that naps differ depending on their length of time and that there are 5 types of naps:

The Nano-Nap- these naps last about 10-20 seconds. They include the occasional nodd off on someone else’s shoulder on the train, or the classic head bob in the middle of day at your work desk. Sleep studies have not shown whether or not these brief naps are actually beneficial when it comes to making you less tired.The Micro-Nap- A 2-5 minute Micro-Nap is shown to surprisingly be very effective at shedding sleepiness. Now that I’m back to work, I’m going to try these!The Mini-Nap- A Mini-Nap ranges from 5-20 minutes and can increase alertness, motor learning, stamina, and motor performance.The Original Power Nap- This 20 minute nap includes the benefits of the Micro and Mini-nap as well as improving muscle memory. In addition, it improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up information, which helps with long-term memory.The Lazy Man’s Nap- The Lazy Man’s Nap consists of 50-90 minute slow-wave REM cycle sleep. It is great for improving perceptual processing and repairing bones and muscles.

The Silver Lining is that not only are naps great for you… but they can happen anywhere: in a car, lying on a couch, in a bed, on the grass at the park, or under your desk (like Buzz does every day on my feet!). As long as you are getting at least a Micro-Nap, then your body will be able to effectively combat exhaustion. Below are some of my favorite napping quotes in some ideal napping locations.

Images via Tumblr & Pinterest. If you happen to know who took, them, please let me know so that I can give credit where credit is due!  

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Napping

Napping

During this healing process, napping has been an integral part of each and every day. I have long been a fan of napping, but for the past month, they have been a necessity. One day, I was so tired at 11:00 am that I took myself off to bed. The HOTY (Husband Of The Year) woke me up at 5:30 pm. I thought that my watch stopped but nooooo, I actually slept the entire time. Now this is not the norm, of course, but naps lasting anywhere between 5 minutes and several hours have definitely been a part of my routine.

In my quest to learn more about the value of napping, I learned that naps differ depending on their length of time and that there are 5 types of naps:

The Nano-Nap- these naps last about 10-20 seconds. They include the occasional nodd off on someone else’s shoulder on the train, or the classic head bob in the middle of day at your work desk. Sleep studies have not shown whether or not these brief naps are actually beneficial when it comes to making you less tired.
The Micro-Nap- A 2-5 minute Micro-Nap is shown to surprisingly be very effective at shedding sleepiness. Now that I’m back to work, I’m going to try these!
The Mini-Nap- A Mini-Nap ranges from 5-20 minutes and can increase alertness, motor learning, stamina, and motor performance.
The Original Power Nap- This 20 minute nap includes the benefits of the Micro and Mini-nap as well as improving muscle memory. In addition, it improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up information, which helps with long-term memory.
The Lazy Man’s Nap- The Lazy Man’s Nap consists of 50-90 minute slow-wave REM cycle sleep. It is great for improving perceptual processing and repairing bones and muscles.

The Silver Lining is that not only are naps great for you… but they can happen anywhere: in a car, lying on a couch, in a bed, on the grass at the park, or under your desk (like Buzz does every day on my feet!). As long as you are getting at least a Micro-Nap, then your body will be able to effectively combat exhaustion. Below are some of my favorite napping quotes in some ideal napping locations.

Images via Tumblr & Pinterest. If you happen to know who took, them, please let me know so that I can give credit where credit is due!

The post Napping appeared first on The Silver Pen.

Hellooooooo After a Hiatus & Hysterectomy

Hiatus & Hysterectomy

Hello! Hello! Hello! Where to begin? My oh my. I thought that sitting down to my beloved blog again after a six week hiatus would be a bit like getting on a bicycle again.* You know, where you hop on and are just able to ride. Not sure why I thought that. The truth is that sitting down to write was/is HARD. Why, I wondered, after writing so much for so many years was it so difficult? Maybe because my daily writing habit is dusty and needs to reignited? Maybe because I have so much to say? Maybe because all of my brain cells aren’t quite yet functional? Maybe I still don’t feel good? Maybe all of the above. The truth of the matter is that I have started and stopped this post about a bagillion times this week.

Please allow me to just jump right in with both feet (that was the best prescription that I could give myself after having such a hard time writing!). I hope that you will bear with me as I fumble through a description of my whereabouts (though the above photo does give a bit of clue!).

At the end of July, I found myself to be exhausted beyond belief (you know that kind where no matter what you eat, do or drink; no matter where you go, nothing in the world gives you energy?). Clearly I was in desperate need of a reboot. As August was approaching, all I heard from companies was, “We are on vacation” and “The business is closing for the month” and “I’m not really doing too much in August.” When Excitedly Eight’s (our daughter) piano teacher said that she was taking the month of August off, I thought, Why the heck not? After all, I am the CEO, Secretary, Filer and overall Silver Pen Factotum.

The first couple of days were way weird and way wonderful. I actually came to find myself enjoying the free time. I read, swam, exercised and organized drawers and closets. The time felt quite nest-y.

Then, it came time to deal with what I had been putting off (with the blessing of my doctors) for months. The long and short of it is that earlier this year (of course right about the time that The Silver Lining was published!), I started getting PMS-ie and even had periods again. My skin cleared and I even felt – dare I say it – feminine and sexy. This may not sound weird to you, but it was a shocker to me. You see, these feelings were new to me and I had not had a period since before my FBC (f-bomb breast cancer for new readers) treatment.

As many of you may recall, my FBC was hormone positive. Stated simply, my cancer fed off of hormones (estrogen, specifically) in my body. So, my type of chemo eliminated all estrogen in my body and put me into full menopause. That was SO.FLIPPING.FUN. Remember those days of the hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, etc.? Well the Silver Lining of not having any estrogen in my body…and those resulting symptoms was that I eliminated all cancer from my body. That’s a seriously whopping amazing Silver Lining, if I do say so myself.

As these symptoms started, I reached out to my oncologist and internist. We did blood work (multiple times). The tests were inconclusive – in other words, despite the fact that I was having periods, my blood results said that I was still menopausal. This posed a bit of a conundrum.

The reality is that blood tests are NOT the end-all-be-all (they NEVER ARE!) and we (as a team, of course) paid more attention to what I was feeling than what the numbers showed. …and what I was feeling reflected an “awakening” of my estrogen-producing ovaries.

By all accounts, I am cancer free (YIPPPEEE!!!!); HOWEVER, if by any wild chance there were any microscopic disease (all it takes is one little cell) lurking in my body, I needed to remove the fuel (estrogen) that would allow it to grow. There were three options:

Pharmaceutical shut-down of my ovaries with a drug called Lupron.
Oophrectomy (removal of ovaries).
Complete hysterectomy (removal of uterus, cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tubes). BY THE WAY: A complete hysterectomy is not the same procedure as a total hysterectomy, although many people use the terms interchangeably. The uterus, cervix, ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed during a complete hysterectomy. Only the uterus and the cervix are taken out in a total hysterectomy. This is super important to know if you ever have to have this conversation – which I hope that you don’t, of course.

After lots of research, discussion, debate and consultation, I decided to have a complete hysterectomy.

In another post, I will be happy to outline the reasons for my decision-making, but for the time being, I am tired. It turns out that a complete hysterectomy is a BIG surgery (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!). Recovery has been lonnnnnng & challenging. Because I am going back to work in a big way next week, resting & healing is my top priority.

I am so very very happy to be writing again. Writing and re-engaging with you, dear readers, brings me great joy and fulfillment. Thank you for your love and support over the past month (years, actually!). I am eternally grateful!

* For the record, I haven’t ridden a bicycle in YEARS

The post Hellooooooo After a Hiatus & Hysterectomy appeared first on The Silver Pen.

Hellooooooo After a Hiatus & Hysterectomy

Hiatus & Hysterectomy

Hello! Hello! Hello!  Where to begin?  My oh my.  I thought that sitting down to my beloved blog again after a six week hiatus would be a bit like getting on a bicycle again.* You know, where you hop on and are just able to ride. Not sure why I thought that. The truth is that sitting down to write was/is HARD. Why, I wondered, after writing so much for so many years was it so difficult? Maybe because my daily writing habit is dusty and needs to reignited?  Maybe because I have so much to say? Maybe because all of my brain cells aren’t quite yet functional?  Maybe I still don’t feel good? Maybe all of the above. The truth of the matter is  that I have started and stopped this post about a bagillion times this week.

Please allow me to just jump right in with both feet (that was the best prescription that I could give myself after having such a hard time writing!). I hope that you will bear with me as I fumble through a description of my whereabouts (though the above photo does give a bit of clue!).

At the end of July, I found myself to be exhausted beyond belief (you know that kind where no matter what you eat, do or drink; no matter where you go, nothing in the world gives you energy?). Clearly I was in desperate need of a reboot.  As August was approaching, all I heard from companies was, “We are on vacation” and “The business is closing for the month” and “I’m not really doing too much in August.”  When Excitedly Eight’s (our daughter) piano teacher said that she was taking the month of August off, I thought, Why the heck not? After all, I am the CEO, Secretary, Filer and overall Silver Pen Factotum.

The first couple of days were way weird and way wonderful. I actually came to find myself enjoying the free time. I read, swam, exercised and organized drawers and closets.  The time felt quite nest-y.

Then, it came time to deal with what I had been putting off (with the blessing of my doctors) for months. The long and short of it is that earlier this year (of course right about the time that The Silver Lining was published!), I started getting PMS-ie and even had periods again. My skin cleared and I even felt – dare I say it – feminine and sexy. This may not sound weird to you, but it was a shocker to me. You see, these feelings were new to me and I had not had a period since before my FBC (f-bomb breast cancer for new readers) treatment.

As many of you may recall, my FBC was hormone positive. Stated simply, my cancer fed off of hormones (estrogen, specifically) in my body.  So, my type of chemo eliminated all estrogen in my body and put me into full menopause. That was SO.FLIPPING.FUN. Remember those days of the hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, etc.?  Well the Silver Lining of not having any estrogen in my body…and those resulting symptoms was that I eliminated all cancer from my body. That’s a seriously whopping amazing Silver Lining, if I do say so myself.

As these symptoms started, I reached out to my oncologist and internist.  We did blood work (multiple times). The tests were inconclusive – in other words, despite the fact that I was having periods, my blood results said that I was still menopausal. This posed a bit of a conundrum.

The reality is that blood tests are NOT the end-all-be-all (they NEVER ARE!) and we (as a team, of course) paid more attention to what I was feeling than what the numbers showed. …and what I was feeling reflected an “awakening” of my estrogen-producing ovaries.

By all accounts, I am cancer free (YIPPPEEE!!!!); HOWEVER, if by any wild chance there were any microscopic disease (all it takes is one little cell) lurking in my body, I needed to remove the fuel (estrogen) that would allow it to grow. There were three options:

Pharmaceutical shut-down of my ovaries with a drug called Lupron.Oophrectomy (removal of ovaries).Complete hysterectomy (removal of uterus, cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tubes).  BY THE WAY: A complete hysterectomy is not the same procedure as a total hysterectomy, although many people use the terms interchangeably. The uterus, cervix, ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed during a complete hysterectomy. Only the uterus and the cervix are taken out in a total hysterectomy. This is super important to know if you ever have to have this conversation – which I hope that you don’t, of course.

After lots of research, discussion, debate and consultation, I decided to have a complete hysterectomy.

In another post, I will be happy to outline the reasons for my decision-making, but for the time being, I am tired. It turns out that a complete hysterectomy is a BIG surgery (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!). Recovery has been lonnnnnng & challenging. Because I am going back to work in a big way next week, resting & healing is my top priority.

I am so very very happy to be writing again. Writing and re-engaging with you, dear readers, brings me great joy and fulfillment. Thank you for your love and support over the past month (years, actually!). I am eternally grateful!

* For the record, I haven’t ridden a bicycle in YEARS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This Weekend: Choose Humor

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This Weekend: Choose Hope

This Weekend: Choose Hope

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An August Hiatus

An August Hiatus

Happy August, friends! Can you even buh-lieve that it is August? How on earth is that possible? I have made a bit of a radical (for me, anyway) decision: to take the month of August off from the blog. GULP.  I can barely believe that I just wrote that!  Wowsy.

Despite the fact that I have a bagillion things that I would like to write about, I have decided to wait until September to do so.  I really need to take time for myself, my family and my friends. It has been an extraordinarily busy year (as you all know) and I know that now I need to rejuvenate, rethink, rest and refresh. I also have a couple of health issues with which I have to contend and need to focus on wholehearted healing.

So, for just a few short weeks, I will bid you adieu. I will still be on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Please feel free to join me here.  In the meantime, have a beautiful August and see you in September!

xxx Hollye

Photograph by Elizabeth Messina and is in our book, The Silver Lining: A Supportive & Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSilverPen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hollyejacobs
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/1042044534272...

An August Hiatus

An August Hiatus

Happy August, friends! Can you even buh-lieve that it is August? How on earth is that possible? I have made a bit of a radical (for me, anyway) decision: to take the month of August off from the blog. GULP.  I can barely believe that I just wrote that!  Wowsy.

Despite the fact that I have a bagillion things that I would like to write about, I have decided to wait until September to do so.  I really need to take time for myself, my family and my friends. It has been an extraordinarily busy year (as you all know) and I know that now I need to rejuvenate, rethink, rest and refresh. I also have a couple of health issues with which I have to contend and need to focus on wholehearted healing.

So, for just a few short weeks, I will bid you adieu. I will still be on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Please feel free to join me here.  In the meantime, have a beautiful August and see you in September!

xxx Hollye

Photograph by Elizabeth Messina and is in our book, The Silver Lining: A Supportive & Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer

The post An August Hiatus appeared first on The Silver Pen.

This Weekend: Choose Fearlessness

This Weekend: Choose Fearlessness

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Helpful Hot Flash Hints

Helpful Hot Flash Hints

For those of you who have experienced (naturally occurring or chemo-induced) menopause, you know exactly what I mean when I say that hot flashes absolutely S**K!! Not only do they rock your world in a moments notice with absolutely no warning, but they (at least mine) are all consuming and utterly EMBARRASSING! Well, let me rephrase that: embarrassing may not be the right word because the truth of the matter is that my mind goes blank (as in a wasteland of nothingness during which I am at a complete and total loss of words) when a hot flash comes on. They so overwhelm me that I am without feeling (emotionally, that is) and thoughts so I can’t really be embarrassed.

I remember during one (really big!) speech at a (national!) conference, I was gobsmacked by one.  The HOTY (still Husband Of The Year) noticed it coming on – from the very back of the 300 person audience!  He said that my neck started getting really red from the shoulders up and then – BAM! – I had the “glow” and “shimmer” that is indicative of a hot flash.  I had no idea what I said during that moment (they usually last a moment, which doesn’t sound like a long time, but let me tell you: it feels like an ETERNITY!), but the Silver Lining is that I have had so many since my FBC diagnosis and treatment that I have figured out some ways to cope.

Let me begin by saying that hot flashes vary in intensity for everyone but overall common symptoms include: increased heart rate, tingling sensations in fingers and toes, clammy & sweaty state, and red – as in cherry tomato red – skin, to name a few.

There are common hot flash triggers that can be identified and avoided at all costs:

Wearing tight clothingStressEating spicy foods (sorry!)Drinking alcohol (sorry!) cConsuming excessive amounts of caffeineBeing in a hot room (DUH)Smoking (who does that anymore??) or being exposed to cigarette smoke

When trying to manage your hot flashes, start simple:

Sip ice water at the start of a hot flashKeep a thermos of ice water and an ice pack (if possible) near your bed at nightSleep wearing cotton and use cotton linensDress in layers for your day so that when a hot flash hits, you can peel off the layers quickly. Often immediately after a hot flash, I get really cold.  So, then I have layers to add back on!Keep a frozen wash cloth in your freezer so that you can drape it on your neck to cool you down during the hot flash.

While these tips will not stop hot flashes from occurring.. they will provide some relief!

Some women look for natural remedies (e.g., black cohosh, red clover, dong quai, evening primrose oil, soy, and flaxseed) to help lessen the intensity and frequency of their hot flashes. While none of these natural remedies is scientificly proven to be effective, they may be helpful for you – and some people swear by them. Unfortunately, nothing worked for me. The key is (as always!) consulting with your doctor before use as some of these remedies may interfere with medications.

Other women look to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to reduce intensity and frequency which involves taking estorgren supplements (via pill, cream, gel, or patch) in order to level out the amount of estrogen in a person’s body. As a post-FBC person, I can never use HRT. You see, I need to stay in a post-menopausal state for the rest of my life because estrogen was/is the food that made my cancer grow.

HRT is something to also discuss with your doctor.  There are polarizing views on the value, efficacy and safety of HRT.  What I will say is that even if I had never had FBC, I would not use HRT.  In my opinion, hormone manipulation is a slippery slope.

At the end of the day, as I have said here so many times before it is ALWAYS important to have a healthy lifestyle in order to deal not only with hot flashes, but many other diseases and illnesses. Eating a well-balanced diet, exerrcising regularly, and not smoking will benefit your body just as much (if not more!) as any medication or supplement you take.

Keep in mind that every woman is different and what might work for one woman could not work for another. The Silver Lining is that there are ways to deal with hot flashes… you just have to find what works best for you!

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