yestetday, after the gym I showered and went I put the brush through my hair, a massive clump came out. I had long hair which I cut to a bob. there was no way I could dry my hair or touch it, so went to hairdressers to get it shaved.
They just cut it very short and even though if I touch it it still falls out this is much less traumatic than the longer hair in my hands. By the end of yesterday I had a bald patch at the front of my head so I need to now go back and shave off completely. It’s such a personal thing but to those wondering about cutting hair or not - the shorter you go the more you get used to seeing yourself like that and hairloss is less traumatic… It’s still hard don’t get me wrong!
this is starting to feel real now. I am on day 15. next treatment Wednesday and dreading it.
otherwise, still no side effects since first week of trauma.
keep strong sparklers, this is going to be a white knuckle ride!
Shazza & curlytop - glad the new boobies are fitting in well. Have you given them names?
Lucy - eek about the hair situation! I know what you mean about getting it cut but I’ve got a wig thats long like my own and I think going long and then short and then long again seems odd but I really dont know how just shaving it all off will feel either. Just dont feel prepared for the hair thing. Everybody keeps saying its a small price to pay to get better etc and I’ll deal with it - theres no choice - but it still makes me feel really sad. As shazza said, its a girl thing. Well done for biting the bullet!
slm - I admire your approach my girl - i wish i was as strongminded as you are at the minute.
I went to a look good feel better session yesterday and it was great! You get a goodie bag with alll sorts of skin care and makeup in it to take home. Quite a treat!
Like Lucy I was awake again in the night - I dont stop the steroids til Sunday!! aaarrrgghh. And you know what I do in the middle of the night dont you??? I was thinking how much I keep going onto my other half and friends about this bc lark and thought I must be getting on their nerves ( not that they’d actually say it so I thought I’d say it for them!)…
Shazza & curlytop - glad the new boobies are fitting in well. Have you given them names?
Lucy - eek about the hair situation! I know what you mean about getting it cut but I’ve got a wig thats long like my own and I think going long and then short and then long again seems odd but I really dont know how just shaving it all off will feel either. Just dont feel prepared for the hair thing. Everybody keeps saying its a small price to pay to get better etc and I’ll deal with it - theres no choice - but it still makes me feel really sad. As shazza said, its a girl thing. Well done for biting the bullet!
slm - I admire your approach my girl - i wish i was as strongminded as you are at the minute.
I went to a look good feel better session yesterday and it was great! You get a goodie bag with alll sorts of skin care and makeup in it to take home. Quite a treat!
Like Lucy I was awake again in the night - I dont stop the steroids til Sunday!! aaarrrgghh. And you know what I do in the middle of the night dont you??? I was thinking how much I keep going onto my other half and friends about this bc lark and thought I must be getting on their nerves ( not that they’d actually say it so I thought I’d say it for them!)…
I know a sparkler and she’s all of a glitter,
But if she takes her temperature once more I might just have to hit her,
She used to juggle it all and live upon her wits,
But now she just has this strange obsession with her tits.
Since her diagnosis and confirmation of the dreaded C,
She talks a whole new language and it’s double dutch to me,
She goes on about infection and avoiding people with the flu,
And has a seriously unhealthy interest in the texture of her poo!
I know it’s only temporary and we’ll get her back one day,
And if it helps her to cope then it’s a small price to pay,
But if she tells me once again that she’s had another flush,
I’ll be forced to get her steroids and shove them up her tush!
col i love it, you should write them down and have a little book made up, im sure others would love to hear your ditties while going on this journey. you make everybody smile. xxxxxx
loss of hair with little kids. Mine 5 and 3 yrs didn’t bat an eye. It shows that your identity for them has nothin to do with your hair. Another forum member told me her son thought she wouldn’t be his mummy any more if she didn’t have hair so watch out for unexpected connections that little ones make. In general little ones are a great motivation and love you regardless.
Afternoon sparklers,
started chemo yesterday, dranks loads before i went and when i can home pee pink straight away, now it looks a healthy colour. A bit nauseated but tablets seem to be keeping it bay. Slept till 3am got and had tea and read a book for 1 hour then went back to bed. Having a pj day. It’s pouring of rain here so best place to be
Tried the cold cap and yes you forgot it’s there eventually, but my forehead felt cold inside but warm to touch sounds strange i know during the night. Took painkillers which seemed to help.
This is a stupid question i know but here goes, when using conditioner wiht the cold cap do you just put it on the surface hair or rub it in like you would when washing it.
afternoon everyone, just back with my wig and its great, looks just like mine. also met up with headstrong who show you different ways with head scarves and hats, wow, freebies galour, head for my wig to sit on, scarves, hat with a small donation, so made up, even managed the twisty scarf look. xxx
Thanks waiting too. Kids are amazing about all this. My little ones way more excited about my wig than I am!
Great news Mags - hope it get off lightly. Take it easy. I’m afraid I cant help on coldcap as not using it.
Great eig news jellymould. The headstrong thing sounds good - I’m crap with scalves and always end up looking like a pirste or an armish woman!!! How did you get on it?
Glad you like the rhyme - they’re a bit daft but a bit of fun eh? hope they dont offend anyone!
Anyway, good luck to anybody with appointments tomorrow.
col the headstrong girls were great and i the scarves are so easy and great to play with, got lots of new ideas on how to wear them. i now know how to plait 2 together and make a really groovy head piece using head bands and brooches. xx
Hi All Mags 2710 I had my first session last Thursday and used the cold cap. I read on here only to wash my hair once a week and only to brush it once a day. I washed it yesterday and used conditioner on it. I just did it as normal, not sure what you’re supposed to do. It feels normal so far, I’ll let you know how it goes. Col123 Brilliant, keep them coming.
I am now on day 8 and feeling good, my mouth feels a bit strange but otherwise ok. I only take an anti sickness pill at night just in case I wake up feeling sick. Nowhere near as tired as I was.
Hope everyone else is coping ok
Lots of hugs
xxx
Hi sparklers.
Hair now comes out when I touch it, I think tomorrow will be my last day of ‘normal’ hair. I thought I wouldn’t mind, but feel quite emotional. I now realise I will be wearing my wig for my 2nd lot of chemo this Wednesday, I was hoping to keep my wig in its box for at least 1 more week. Just hoping the eyelashes last a bit longer as my sore eyes are already a problem even with lashes to protect them. Has anybody got tips for streaming eyes?
A good day today, feel like I’m getting away with things a bit easy at the moment. Hope I don’t have to eat my words later, but just taking each day as it comes. Thrush on its way thanks to tablet I took, no nausea today and had visits from work mates and my niece. Just feeling a bit tired now but thats normal.
I know what you mean about the funny mouth Pascal48. Mines been the same but not painful and nothing I can pinpoint so just brushing teeth a bit more and using mouth wash regularly. I got some shampoo and conditioner from Boots called Naked. Its 97% natural and is mild for sensitive scalps. I’ve been using that since chemo but only washed my hair about 3 times when I’d normally do it everyday. Dont know if its helping but thought I’d give it a try.
Glad your wig is spot on Jellymould. I have quite fine hair and the wig is a lot fuller but I’m getting used to it [I keep practising putting it on]. Showed it to my niece today and she liked it so can’t be too bad. I went to Headstrong session a couple of weeks ago and the girls were like a double act! I got some lovely scarves and a sleep hat and like you got some ideas on how to tie them. Hopefully won’t look like a cross between a pirate and Maria from the Sound of Music now!
The ditties are great Col123, they have made me smile and I need all the smiles I can get. The best I could do might be a limerick and I’d probably struggle with that.
Dealbeach I was wondering if I’d still have my hair for next chemo. I’ll have to wait and see. It sounds like you are a week ahead of me so I’ll have a better idea by this time next week I guess. It might be worth getting your eyes checked out if they are sore to make sure there is no infection. A pharmacistor your GP may have some idea of what you can use to help them. The only tips I’ve read about eyes relate to when the lashes go and thats to wear pale sunglasses to protect them from dust. I know how irritating eyes can be as I wear contact lenses and the slightest thing can set them off watering. I tend to use eye drops when I have problems. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Better head off to bed soon. I’m going shopping with my mate tomorrow and going to treat myself to a nice coffee and a cake while I can.
Hi fellow sparklers
Col123 you make me laugh so much !
Mags2710 I used the cold cap I just shoved my head under the tap and put loads of conditioner in it then left it for 24 hours before washing it
I have a question when are we supposed to take the antibiotics ? Ive completely forgotten what they said !!! I think so much is said that when your on your own its impossible to take it all in !!!
Keep sparkling
Stella xx
hi girls off christmas shopping today, then post op assessment then out to a retirement meal. busy, busy, busy. ive heard a few mention antibiotics i was not even offered any, wonder if i should ask on wed, 2nd chemo session. any way have a great day girls, keep sparkling xx
dealbeach - my eyes have started feeling itchy and bit stingy and my gp gave me hypromellose eye drops yesterday. They dont sting and are quite soothng as they act like replacement tears. I’m on fec-t regime and I read that the T can make them even eorse - great! I thought I’d also offer a word of warning about nails. I’m sure you’ll have read about the drugs possibly affecting your nails. There was a girl on my look good session who had just finished chemo and she’d lost her nails. It wadn’t very nice but they grow back. One thing that might help is to paint your nails with dark polish and regularly moitsurise them. Again, I think its ghe Taxotere that affects them more. Just a thought.
stella - I’m not given antibiotics as a general part of the treatment so I dont know when you need to start them. Best to call your bcn kr onc helpline. I still wonder at the diverse approach there is to our various treatments. You’d think certain issues would be standard across the board.
jelly - am going to look up hradstrong as am struggling with hair loss thing. Had a liitle cry this morning and just about to go and wash it. My other half has been so good telling me I’ll still be pretty, etc but I certainly dont think I’ll feel like that. enjoy your fun day!
love to everyone else - glad my daft rhyms make some of you smile. It’s just a bit of fun and I think it helps to try and see the funny side of all this cr@p we’re havingto put up with. hello to those from earlier chemo threads too!
day 16 - felt a little icky and less energetic the past two day. had my hair cropped on Wednesday which was a drastic Shock, woke up Thursday with hair all over the bed, in my face and mouth. Went and ha my head shaved and wig fitted. its not easy when the hair goes but at least this morning I have no trauma of hair everywhere. My wig is a bob and very nice, but I have found that I don’t wear it much. I have a really soft cotton hat which the wig lady suggested to wear In bed and round the house- it’s soo comfortable. Otherwise I have gone bare or hats. I will put my wig on to meet friends for drinks tonight- yesterday I took it off in the coffee shop as I just felt like I needed to! I then saw myself as I left the cafe in the widow and just ran home to hide!
Dreading Tuesday when I have an appointment with onc re kidney v’s cancer treatment discussions. It’s the weekend soon so will enjoy this weekend before next week - round 2 Wednesday!
xxxxxx
xxxxxx
