Second Chemo Treatment and Various Other Things

Wednesday, Dec. 6 was my second Chemo treatment. It was another long day from 8:30 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. During the treatment I added two more health care providers to my team, bringing to total now to 21. That is way too many people for me to keep straight, especially since I have never been very good at remembering names. I am starting to see some patterns that are reoccurring during the treatment cycles. For example, the nights immediately following the treatments I get very little sleep, which is one of the side effects. The anti-nausea pills that I have been given are not as effective this time, the nausea has already started and this is only Friday. Well maybe that means it will end quicker. Fingers crossed on that one.

I was feeling a bit at a loss about who to turn to with questions, there are so many who want to give me answers and information, but I have only seen some of them for five or ten minutes and I can’t remember their names. The best solution seemed to be to make an appointment with Renate Bennett, the Nurse Practitioner in North Queens Medical Centre. She was the principal care giver that I went to when I started down this medical journey and she was understanding, supportive and she treated me like a person and she is a familiar face AND I can remember her name. What more recommendation did she need? My appointment was on Thursday, Dec. 7 and that may have been the smartest thing I have done so far to help myself through this. She listened, she answered questions and she asked if I would like to have a monthly meeting with her while this whole mess is going on. She got me a copy of my pathology report and she explained some of the scarier facts about the report. She is a keeper.

I am not ready to share much info about the report at this point, but I will say that the cancer cells that have invaded my body are aggressive and they have been there for a while. Enough said on that.

My hair is getting very thin so when I go out in public I am wearing either a hat or one of my stylish wigs. Frank and I are meeting a very good friend for lunch next week, I wonder if she will recognize me. Well, Frank is just as good-looking as ever, so I guess she will find us okay.

I think this is enough from me for today. But please stay tuned I will be back in the next couple of days with my thoughts on what not to say to someone who says they have cancer. My thoughts only as each of us is different and we all handle things differently and we all expect different things.

New Looks Revealed

Okay, here are the pictures, before my haircut, after the haircut with what hair I have left and two with my new locks/looks. These pictures may turn out to be your giggle for today.

One of my new looks. Not something that I would have chosen without some help from the hairdresser at the Journey Room. 

The other new look. Funny though the wigs don't make the double chins or the turkey neck go away. 

After my haircut. Short. And it looks like I don't have any grey hair but oh yeah they are still there. 

The old original before all this started. 

My Hair Hurts

My Hair Hurts

Several decades ago when I was in my early teens my tonsils would become inflamed and I would have a fever and be generally miserable for three or four days, recover, and then my tonsils would make themselves known again. During this time I remember that even my scalp was sensitive and tender and it did feel like my hair hurt.

Well my hair hurt earlier this week. It was getting long (for me) and when I brushed it, it hurt. Not only that but it was falling out, not in large clumps but several strands at a time and certainly more than normal. I decided to be proactive and get my hair cut very short and see about alternate head coverings for the upcoming chilly months. My surgeon told me that I would definitely lose my hair and I believed him so I was mentally ready.

Frieda, a volunteer at the Journey Room at the South Shore Regional Hospital, is a hairdresser who volunteers her time to help cancer patients cope with this particular aspect of their Chemo treatments. She quickly snipped my hair to about an inch in length. She recommended leaving it at that length and as it continued to fall out I could consider a head shaving if I wanted to. She then (very patiently) showed me a selection of wigs that I could borrow for the duration of my baldness. She also had turbans, scarves and toques in a variety of colours that were available on loan. She had a lot of patience and was very compassionate without being sappy and emotional, just the right balance for someone dealing with people who are acting and reacting in a very challenging situation.

I came home with two wigs that I never would have thought of wearing without her gentle encouragement. And I am happy with my selections and with my new looks for the upcoming months. Today I bought several cheap toques in colours that normally I wouldn't wear because they are too flashy or too goofy looking. I am not upset about losing my hair, there is more at stake here.

You know it felt good to take control and get my hair cut and to select my head coverings for the next few months. For someone who is a control freak the lose of control over my body and this whole process has been one of the hardest things for me to cope with so for me reasserting myself in this way feels good.

Over the next few days look for some pictures of me in my new locks. I'm interested in what you think of my new dos.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out via messages and emails. I appreciate the encouragement and support.