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The Silver Lining: A Supportive and Insightful Guide to Breast Cancer
As a healthy, happy thirty-nine-year-old mother with no family history of breast cancer, being diagnosed with the disease rocked Hollye Jacobs’s world. Having worked as a nurse, social worker, and child development specialist for fifteen years, she suddenly found herself in the position of moving into the hospital bed. She was trained as a clinician to heal. In her role as patient, the healing process became personal.
Exquisitely illustrated with full-color photographs by Hollye’s close friend, award-winning photographer Elizabeth Messina, The Silver Lining is both Hollye’s memoir and a practical, supportive resource for anyone whose life has been touched by breast cancer.
In the first section of each chapter, she describes with humor and wisdom her personal experience and gives details about her diagnosis, treatment, side effects, and recovery.
The second section of each chapter is told from Hollye’s point of view as a medical expert. In addition to providing a glossary of important terms and resources, she addresses the physical and emotional aspects of treatment, highlights what patients can expect, and provides action steps, including:
What to do when facing a diagnosis
How to find the best and most supportive medical team
What questions to ask
What to expect at medical tests
How to talk with and support children
How to relieve or avoid side effects
How to be a supportive friend or family member
How to find Silver Linings
Looking for and finding Silver Linings buoyed Hollye from the time of her diagnosis throughout her double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and recovery. They gave her the balance and perspective to get her through the worst days, and they compose the soul of the book.
The Silver Lining of Hollye’s illness is that she can now use the knowledge gleaned from her experience to try to make it better for those who have to follow her down this difficult path. This is why she is sharing her story. Hollye is the experienced girlfriend who wants to help shed some light in the darkness, provide guidance through the confusion, and hold your hand every step of the way.
At once comforting and instructive, realistic and inspiring, The Silver Lining is a visually beautiful, poignant must-read for everyone who has been touched by cancer.
Exquisitely illustrated with full-color photographs by Hollye’s close friend, award-winning photographer Elizabeth Messina, The Silver Lining is both Hollye’s memoir and a practical, supportive resource for anyone whose life has been touched by breast cancer.
In the first section of each chapter, she describes with humor and wisdom her personal experience and gives details about her diagnosis, treatment, side effects, and recovery.
The second section of each chapter is told from Hollye’s point of view as a medical expert. In addition to providing a glossary of important terms and resources, she addresses the physical and emotional aspects of treatment, highlights what patients can expect, and provides action steps, including:
What to do when facing a diagnosis
How to find the best and most supportive medical team
What questions to ask
What to expect at medical tests
How to talk with and support children
How to relieve or avoid side effects
How to be a supportive friend or family member
How to find Silver Linings
Looking for and finding Silver Linings buoyed Hollye from the time of her diagnosis throughout her double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and recovery. They gave her the balance and perspective to get her through the worst days, and they compose the soul of the book.
The Silver Lining of Hollye’s illness is that she can now use the knowledge gleaned from her experience to try to make it better for those who have to follow her down this difficult path. This is why she is sharing her story. Hollye is the experienced girlfriend who wants to help shed some light in the darkness, provide guidance through the confusion, and hold your hand every step of the way.
At once comforting and instructive, realistic and inspiring, The Silver Lining is a visually beautiful, poignant must-read for everyone who has been touched by cancer.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2014
7 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
Hollye Jacobs
4 books4 followersHollye Jacobs, RN, MS, MSW, speaks publicly and writes about her experience on her award-winning blog, TheSilverPen.com. She is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post, BreastCancer.org, Susan G. Komen, and the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation Army of Women Blog. She lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 1, 2014
This is a very good book! This might be THE 'go to' guide regarding breast cancer! The author was actually a hospice nurse prior to her own breast cancer diagnosis, so she offers a really unique perspective to this guide. It is really easily read, very informative, a guide from start to finish thru the path that one takes following a diagnosis. She offers sort of a 'road map' thru the whole process, with an interesting & easy to understand way of writing.
If you know someone with breast cancer, they should have this book...& you should too! I won this book ARC in a Goodreads giveaway program....& am sooooo glad I did!
If you know someone with breast cancer, they should have this book...& you should too! I won this book ARC in a Goodreads giveaway program....& am sooooo glad I did!
November 29, 2021
7/10
As a breast cancer survivor myself, I found this book to be a true reminder of my experience with diagnosis, treatment, and recovery as a survivor. The author’s experiences, however, are not typical—she herself admits that she experienced multiple side effects of every treatment and medication. And her constant finding of the Silver Linings gets to be a bit much, especially if one reads several chapters in one sitting.
But the author writes from the heart. She is unflinchingly honest about her experiences, her thoughts, and her emotions. That transparency and honesty lends credibility and relatability to the book.
As a breast cancer survivor myself, I found this book to be a true reminder of my experience with diagnosis, treatment, and recovery as a survivor. The author’s experiences, however, are not typical—she herself admits that she experienced multiple side effects of every treatment and medication. And her constant finding of the Silver Linings gets to be a bit much, especially if one reads several chapters in one sitting.
But the author writes from the heart. She is unflinchingly honest about her experiences, her thoughts, and her emotions. That transparency and honesty lends credibility and relatability to the book.
July 5, 2014
Beautiful book with much information and suggestions for coping with the treatments for breast cancer. At times I thought, “I know exactly what she is talking about.” Sometimes, I just flipped through the pages to read the hints and look at the peaceful, beautiful photographs. I especially liked the chapters “Chemo Sobby”, “Isolation Island” and “Radiation Cloud”.
April 9, 2014
Good book that takes you through the cancer process from diagnosis to after treatment ends. Some of the talk of "silver linings" can come off as trite, but the idea remains that you will do much better by approaching the whole process in a realistic and positive way, than in a negative, dark way.
April 10, 2014
As a healthy, happy thirty-nine-year-old mother with no family history of breast cancer, being diagnosed with the disease rocked Hollye Jacobs’s world. Having worked as a nurse, social worker, and child development specialist for fifteen years, she suddenly found herself in the position of moving into the hospital bed. She was trained as a clinician to heal. In her role as patient, the healing process became personal.
Exquisitely illustrated with full-color photographs by Hollye’s close friend, award-winning photographer Elizabeth Messina, The Silver Lining is both Hollye’s memoir and a practical, supportive resource for anyone whose life has been touched by breast cancer.
In the first section of each chapter, she describes with humor and wisdom her personal experience and gives details about her diagnosis, treatment, side effects, and recovery.
The second section of each chapter is told from Hollye’s point of view as a medical expert. In addition to providing a glossary of important terms and resources, she addresses the physical and emotional aspects of treatment, highlights what patients can expect, and provides action steps, including:
What to do when facing a diagnosis
How to find the best and most supportive medical team
What questions to ask
What to expect at medical tests
How to talk with and support children
How to relieve or avoid side effects
How to be a supportive friend or family member
How to find Silver Linings
Looking for and finding Silver Linings buoyed Hollye from the time of her diagnosis throughout her double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and recovery. They gave her the balance and perspective to get her through the worst days, and they compose the soul of the book.
The Silver Lining of Hollye’s illness is that she can now use the knowledge gleaned from her experience to try to make it better for those who have to follow her down this difficult path. This is why she is sharing her story. Hollye is the experienced girlfriend who wants to help shed some light in the darkness, provide guidance through the confusion, and hold your hand every step of the way.
At once comforting and instructive, realistic and inspiring, The Silver Lining is a visually beautiful, poignant must-read for everyone who has been touched by cancer.
Exquisitely illustrated with full-color photographs by Hollye’s close friend, award-winning photographer Elizabeth Messina, The Silver Lining is both Hollye’s memoir and a practical, supportive resource for anyone whose life has been touched by breast cancer.
In the first section of each chapter, she describes with humor and wisdom her personal experience and gives details about her diagnosis, treatment, side effects, and recovery.
The second section of each chapter is told from Hollye’s point of view as a medical expert. In addition to providing a glossary of important terms and resources, she addresses the physical and emotional aspects of treatment, highlights what patients can expect, and provides action steps, including:
What to do when facing a diagnosis
How to find the best and most supportive medical team
What questions to ask
What to expect at medical tests
How to talk with and support children
How to relieve or avoid side effects
How to be a supportive friend or family member
How to find Silver Linings
Looking for and finding Silver Linings buoyed Hollye from the time of her diagnosis throughout her double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and recovery. They gave her the balance and perspective to get her through the worst days, and they compose the soul of the book.
The Silver Lining of Hollye’s illness is that she can now use the knowledge gleaned from her experience to try to make it better for those who have to follow her down this difficult path. This is why she is sharing her story. Hollye is the experienced girlfriend who wants to help shed some light in the darkness, provide guidance through the confusion, and hold your hand every step of the way.
At once comforting and instructive, realistic and inspiring, The Silver Lining is a visually beautiful, poignant must-read for everyone who has been touched by cancer.
July 5, 2014
What a beautiful book! I was given a copy of this book when I visited the nearby Cancer Support Center, and as I flipped through it I was struck by the lovely photographs throughout. When I sat down to read it I realized that the writing and content were just as beautiful. Going through my own breast cancer journey, I've often reflected upon the many "silver linings" along the way (although I didn't call them that) and have tried to keep an optimistic outlook as much as possible. That being said, my experience pales in comparison to the author's, who seemed to have the worst of every possible bad side effect along the way! Her positive perspective through her grueling year-plus of treatment and recovery is nothing short of amazing.
The author has a background as a hospice nurse and social worker, so she knows her stuff medically. The book gives the reader a very honest description of each step in her treatment. It didn't exactly match mine, but there were enough parallels to keep me engaged with her experiences. In addition to this frank narrative, she also offers tips to help others navigate the tricky world of breast cancer treatment. And the photographs(taken by the author's friend, many with the author as subject) are all simply gorgeous.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is going through breast cancer treatment or who wants a better understanding of what the journey can be like (again, hers was not much like mine) and how best to navigate the road to recovery and beyond. The book contains a lot of good advice, and the author's overall positive attitude is very inspiring.
The author has a background as a hospice nurse and social worker, so she knows her stuff medically. The book gives the reader a very honest description of each step in her treatment. It didn't exactly match mine, but there were enough parallels to keep me engaged with her experiences. In addition to this frank narrative, she also offers tips to help others navigate the tricky world of breast cancer treatment. And the photographs(taken by the author's friend, many with the author as subject) are all simply gorgeous.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is going through breast cancer treatment or who wants a better understanding of what the journey can be like (again, hers was not much like mine) and how best to navigate the road to recovery and beyond. The book contains a lot of good advice, and the author's overall positive attitude is very inspiring.
June 2, 2017
This did not speak at all to my experience as a survivor. I am glad that the author had a treatable type of cancer, and that she was able to focus on positive things during her treatment. It would be difficult to read this book, though, if your cancer was not treatable. And, as women, we are socialized to be "nice" even in the face of unfairness. I've found that validating my anger at the unfairness of my diagnosis has been more helpful and empowering than trying to focus on whatever "silver linings" remain for me through this.
March 30, 2014
An insightful book with meaningful support written by someone who has been through the drill of breast cancer - and by someone who has cared for cancer patients. Her knowledge is valuable as is her approach toward life. Useful tools for those dealing with cancer in general. Read my complete review at: http://wp.me/p4bVsC-cz
May 31, 2014
Loved this.... The closest thing I have encountered to "my story". The similarities in how we were diagnosed were eerie. I loved that she also had a positive but realistic perspective and shared openly about everything. I felt encouraged and informed. Would definitely recommend to someone w a breast cancer diagnosis.
March 26, 2015
This is an excellent, well written book. The author is a nurse, a wife and mother who had breast cancer at the age of forty. She deals with this step-by-step. This is a wonderful guide for someone newly diagnosed and would make a lovely gift..But Ms. Jacobs also deals with the aftermath, issues relating to recovery. I found it extremely interesting and informative.
May 1, 2014
Wish I would have had this book at beginning. Would recommend to anyone that has been diagnosed. I think the book would also be helpful for caregivers.
June 15, 2019
I found the insight into planning prepping and understanding treatment useful to some extent, but so much is missing, like caring for bloody surgical drains, and the pain of reconstruction. And the memoir parts feel far too saccharin. Take the author’s horrible side effects from chemo, for example. When they don’t get better with medical adjustments, the silver lining is that at least she knows what to expect? Please. I’m glad she found this helpful to focus on, if she truly did, but I’m way more of a realist. Suffering through hospitalization for my own side effects, I needed to address and work through the grief and genuine angst of it, not blame my anger on steroids (although the ‘roid rage outlined is absolutely real). Do yourself a favor. Don’t bury your reality under silver colored platitudes as if this makes a you warrior of positivity. It’s not always possible to be this positive. Let the full range of emotion wash over you and address each stage authentically. It will make people around you uncomfortable as they chant “stay positive,” but that’s their shortfall, not yours. Sickness sucks, but there is no shame in facing it with honesty.
February 21, 2020
Excellent
A great insightful book to help someone with breast cancer know what to expect or for a family member or friend understand better.
A great insightful book to help someone with breast cancer know what to expect or for a family member or friend understand better.
April 2, 2021
A valuable asset to anyone dealing with breast cancer. This book takes you from diagnosis to post recovery.
August 14, 2015
A wonderful book that a friend gave me to read when first diagnosed with breast cancer. Being fearful and not knowing much about this disease...I was able to read this book and had a lot of questions that were answered. Beautifully done.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews