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HillTop_Dreamer's avatar
HillTop_Dreamer
Member
6 years ago

Won the wrong lottery

Hi,  1 in 8 and I wouldn’t win Tatts but I’ve won an early diagnosis triple positive gremlin.  Surgery was a little over 3 weeks ago.  Clear Margins and negative in the sentinel nodes - another win 🙂  

I had an appointment with the radio guru today who says 4 weeks of treatment after my chemo.   So that will be a few months away - the height is summer.  Does that affect discomfort?  He a
so mentioned something about large, droopy breasts and a skin fold issue under the breast?  I’ll talk to my McGrath Magician about that. 

Chemo Guru appt is next week.  This is the scary one for me.  Everything so far I’ve rolled with but I have waist length hair, I’ve always had long thick hair.  I have never found a hat that fits and looks good and I look stupid in beanies.  So I’m hitting a wall pretty hard on losing my hair.

I guess that’s enough about me for now.  Cheers.
coping
hair-loss
treatment
  • Brenda5's avatar
    Brenda5
    Member
    6 years ago
    I did my chemo during summer. I didn't like anything on my head at home and when  went shopping I wore a baseball cap. It is amazing how cold your head can get in the freezer section of Coles. At home everyone liked patting my head fuzz. Remember to drink lots to re-hydrate and also to flush that poison out the other end.
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    6 years ago
    I had chemo in summer and it certainly made it easier to keep cool. And showers when you're bald are amazing. And as shocking as each new stage of treatment can be, we humans are an adaptable mob. You do get used to it. And we'll all be here for you. Big hug, K xox
  • Afraser's avatar
    Afraser
    Member
    6 years ago
    I’m with @zoffiel on the hair thing - I didn’t have the option of cold cap, but just like not having a partial mastectomy, I couldn’t see the advantage of saving some of my hair. I did the wig - synthetic, looked great, wasn’t hot, easy to look after, just watch the warning about hot ovens! I had short hair but still never wore hats or beanies. If you can afford it, try something fun. Treatment is necessary and saves your life but you need to milk all the emotional good out of it too. Best wishes. 
  • Zoffiel's avatar
    Zoffiel
    Member
    6 years ago
    Hey @HillTop_Dreamer
    Lots of people who haven't been through chemo say 'its only hair'  True statement and it's easy to be sanguine unless it's yours that is going to fall out.
    Being bald ain't my preferred state, but I've done it twice now--both times losing waist length--and it hasn't killed me. And I guess that's what it comes down to; hair or potentially life saving treatment. Cold caps weren't an option and I'm not sure I'd have bothered even if they had been available. It suited me better to just own it and get on with it. But then, I am a bloody minded old battleaxe at times.
    Regarding the potential rads burns. There is absolutely no guarantees either way what will happen until you finish and I don't know that summer will make much difference to the level of discomfort.  If you do get  burns they won't last for long anyway.
    PS, wigs are fun if it's not too  hot to wear them and there is some satisfaction in realising that if men can do bald, we can too. Mxx

  • primek's avatar
    primek
    Member
    6 years ago
    Hi and welcome.
    I was dreading the hat and beanie thing too as I always looked silly when I had hair but surprisingly they looked okay. You could also look at a wig. Many areas have free wig services for cancer patients. 

    I ended up with soft chemo caps in summer, beanies in winter and scarves once it warmed up again. The tied scarf sort of felt like having hair.  Lots of ideas how to tie on Google.