for anyone looking for a bit of hope after all the chopping, poisoning and microwaving …
after one month - looked like a relative of my mother
after two months - looked like my sister (haven’t got one)
after three months - look like a slightly porky version of me but more like me than anyone else … am getting to like the new hair very much again
dying the hair takes away half a generation in one wash!
i am now 4 months after treatment has ended, have stopped wearing the wig, my hair is still short for me but ok i am too a bit chubby but trying to go swimming. I have to see consultant next week as i have breast oedema not sure what that entails long term some days it aches and others ok.
Am back at work full time, still getting tired but you have to get on with it don’t you. I have 2 children 7 & 12 to see to.
What a nice post and thanks FB, glad to hear things are getting better. Mal, I too have just finished my first week of rads so we walk this part of the journey at the same time.
I too have packed my wig away - in fact I hardly wore it really as it wasn’t too comfortable but I’ve decided to be brave and show the world my little tufty bits of baby hair. Of course I wear a hat in the chilly weather, but I am so looking forward to having some decent hair again.
FB - All
Yes, it is so much better a few months on. It has been since early October for me – so I would say 4 months.
I agree with you, life is so much better from this view of the mirror.
In October I was still reeling from radiation burns and peeling. Thank God it is only a dim memory now.
Where once there was horrible peeling and redness, now my chest is completely OK.
Where for some time there I put on creams and took med, now I am just OK as is.
My hair has returned, short, curly but there. I am so grateful for it. I look forward to the day I will have a style again, but the same hairdresser who turned my grey/white/black hair to a nice organically colored chestnut brown with red highlights, also cut it nicely so it frames my face and I am not ashamed to walk about without my wig. Good riddance to that wig!!! It is an absolute liberty to be myself again with out the help of hat or wig.
The energy is back, no more falling asleep in the afternoon. And I am back to work, and working hard these days, which is another luxury.
I guess actually, living is a luxury if you get right down to it. Living the kind of life we had before the series of doc appointments, tests and test and tests and tests. Its a good thing for those tests.
So I second the motion. Stand firm and get through this mess and you will see the light at the end of the tunnel so you can be free again! Godspeed…
That’s a nice post, FB. Last onc told me a few weeks ago “you’ll wake up one morning and you’ll be yourself again” and that moment could still be some time away, but it’s getting closer.
Hair is back ( but greyer!), work is fine, but still need to pick up a bit of fitness and lose some lard. But hey, one day I’ll be myself again, and so will you all, and i wish you all the very best.
I currently look like an ostrich but the fuzz is starting to look more like hair. I have also thrown myself into the gym in a bid to make my body feel more like the old me and I am starting to see some results which is great. Feeling quite proud of myself. Still no sign of any eyebrows or eyelashes though…
Can’t wait until a few months down the line when I recognise the strange creature that peers back at me in the mirror each morning!
Hi Fiz glad to hear that you are feeling like your old self again, so inspiring to us all thank you. I had my last chemo yesterday and had my line taken out the feeling of freedom with that alone is great, although I am so grateful to the chemo team who have been wonderful (Western Park Sheffield), I am due to go for the rads planning on 03 February so have three weeks of doing myown thing no appointments. My hair is growing back still very short but grey now I will put a colour on and give it a lift when I can, eyebrows/lashes and rest are back so feel better. Hope you continue up and good luck to all yes you will get there love junieliz x
Hi Fizbix & All
Great to read these posts, I’m a bit behind in that I finished chemo at the end of November, but great to hear that after 4 months…ish! you are all feeling less side effects. I too have noticed that I’m no longer needing a sleep in the afternoon and am thinking about going back to work in 2/3 wks time. I’m trying to step up the exercise cos I’m desperate to shed some weight, but find I have quite achy joints still, don’t know if it’s due to chemo or tamoxifen? Probably both! Anyone else having joint pain, I sometimes feel like an old lady trying to get up if I’ve been sitting for a long time!!!
Hope life continues to get better and better for us all and side effects of our past treatments get less and less.
Take care
Smiler
x
With regard to joint pain - I am experiencing rib pain…and have been told it is due to radiotherapy damage (fibrosis I think she called it) and is common. It seems to start approx 4months after rads and just wanted to highlight this as nothing was said to me by the radio staff…
I am not on tamoxifen (triple negative) so it cant be that.
Still no sign of any eyebrows or eyelashes though…