This is Jess’ adventure through breast cancer —a.k.a. Jess’ Breast Quest.

My Approach

I'm creating this space to keep you all updated as I navigate the cancer diagnosis. I think of this as an adventure — not one I signed up for, but one I'm navigating with curiosity and determination.

Jess’ Caring Bridge Page

I post regular updates on Caring Bridge. “Regular” typically means once every 1-2 weeks.

Lab Dashboard

Jess downloads her labs from her MyChart and asks Claude (AI) to build a tracking dashboard. There is a bit of translation that Claude provides. She always take this with a grain of salt. And she ALWAYS talks with her care team if she sees anything concerning. Most of the time, the oncology team is looking for much more drastic fluctuations in Jess’ labs.

screenshot preview of lab dashboard

  • "Healing takes courage, and we all have courage, even if we have to dig a little to find it."

    —Tori Amos

  • "You can be a victim of cancer or a survivor of cancer. It's a mindset."

    —Dave Pelzer

  • "We have two options, medically and emotionally: give in or fight like hell."

    —Lance Armstrong

  • "Cancer is only going to be a chapter in your life, not the whole story."

    —Joe Wasser

  • "When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: You haven't."

    —Thomas Edison

  • "I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

    —Galileo

  • "Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher."

    —Oprah Winfrey

  • "No matter what the statistics say, there is always a way."

    —Bernie Siegel

  • "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

    —Winston Churchill

  • "Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you."

    —Walt Whitman

  • "What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you."

    —Ralph Waldo Emerson