For someone who has 2 blogs outside of this BC life, I've been strangely reluctant to start writing here. I've been 'lurking' for a month or more now, but it's time to put pen to paper (so to speak). I had a lumpectomy & axillary clearance on 31 October, of the 24 lymph nodes only one was cancerous, so I'm happy about that (as are my doctors!). I'm 6 days into my second of 4 x 2 weekly AC and will then have 12 weekly Taxol to follow up. So far, so good. While I feel unwell, I am coping pretty well with the AC - I just keep taking the meds they give me (Emend, Dex, Nexium, Maxillon, panadol, nuelasta.... The list goes on & on doesn't it?). This week is hair loss week, I've found that while I am prepared for the hair loss I wasn't prepared for the actual fact of clumps of it coming out under the shower and found that quite distressing. My partner ran #3 clippers over it for me yesterday & I'll get him to shave it completely by the end of the week. It feels good to be proactively removing my hair instead of just watching it come out in drifts! I like coming on here & reading your stories (and comments on other peoples stories) and find the very positive atmosphere very uplifting - I could wish the site was a little easier to navigate though! I am blessed with very supportive friends and family -we have had dinner delivered to our door 3 nights a week since just after my surgery & 15 friends showed up in 40 degree heat to help us unpack after moving house last weekend. Humbling in the extreme. The other thing I'm very grateful for is our public health system - for all it's failings it has come up trumps for me (and a number of others I know who have been through this). Bright blessings fellow club members! Clare

Hi ya.I had 4 AC and !@ Taxol as well good luck with it all.Its quite daunting and you may have a few upsets every now and again.Ask the nurses if you end up with any weird and wonderful side effects.They are amazing and are totally there for you. The hair thing i think was the worst for me.I could no longer hide the fact i was sick and had cancer.Every time i looked in the mirror was a constant reminder of the big C i never got used to it.When all your hair falls out you have to stand out in the rain.I loved it such a weird and wonderful feeling.One pleasure i got out of being bald!!! I too went public and i couldnt fault the treatment i recieved.And besides the meds it was free!!Least i didnt have to worry on the financial front! I met so many wonderful people and their partners during chemo.It was very humbling that others going through the same actually remembered me and found time to see how i was and vice versa! Glad you blogged i to am not very computer savvy and it took me a while to get around the site.I still find things i didnt know were there.Good luck with it all and i hope you continue well on your path.Yes take all the meds they give you.I did and coped quite well. Cheers Annie xx

Welcome to this network but sorry about your bc diagnosis. Some women embrace being bald but I sure didn't. The thing is,you are bald long after chemo stops but peolpe still think you are sick and you want to scream"I'm fine now"!!! It's hard covering your head in summer- wigs are too hot and itchy. I wore soft cotton bandanas and caps and then headbands as soon as some hair came through. I ordered from www.headcovers.com - cheap and delivered to your door from U.S.A. Hope chemo isn't too hard on you and blog back here anytime for info and support or just to vent-I think it helps. Tonya xx

I think i really worried the first time i had chemo and lost my hair i wouldnt go out without a wig, and they were hot and i really didnt like them. This time round i was very proactive shaved my hair as soon as the hair started coming out in clumps. I wore beanies when it was cooler and caps when it was warmer. I didnt care when it was only just coming back and i wasnt covering it up. I just put my make up on to make me feel good and out i went. I kinda like the bald look lol

Parkrunner

Member

13 years ago

Just getting started

For someone who has 2 blogs outside of this BC life, I've been strangely reluctant to start writing here. I've been 'lurking' for a month or more now, but it's time to put pen to paper (so to speak).

I had a lumpectomy & axillary clearance on 31 October, of the 24 lymph nodes only one was cancerous, so I'm happy about that (as are my doctors!). I'm 6 days into my second of 4 x 2 weekly AC and will then have 12 weekly Taxol to follow up.

So far, so good. While I feel unwell, I am coping pretty well with the AC - I just keep taking the meds they give me (Emend, Dex, Nexium, Maxillon, panadol, nuelasta.... The list goes on & on doesn't it?).

This week is hair loss week, I've found that while I am prepared for the hair loss I wasn't prepared for the actual fact of clumps of it coming out under the shower and found that quite distressing. My partner ran #3 clippers over it for me yesterday & I'll get him to shave it completely by the end of the week. It feels good to be proactively removing my hair instead of just watching it come out in drifts!

I like coming on here & reading your stories (and comments on other peoples stories) and find the very positive atmosphere very uplifting - I could wish the site was a little easier to navigate though! I am blessed with very supportive friends and family -we have had dinner delivered to our door 3 nights a week since just after my surgery & 15 friends showed up in 40 degree heat to help us unpack after moving house last weekend. Humbling in the extreme.

The other thing I'm very grateful for is our public health system - for all it's failings it has come up trumps for me (and a number of others I know who have been through this).

Bright blessings fellow club members!

Clare