My Story

I think it is a great idea, use our little bald heads as blank canvases, to add paintings and temporary tattoos and the like.

What a great way to make it less scarey for your Granddaughter.

I am enjoying having no hair it is liberating.

We could decorate our heads for different events <LOL> Aussie flags for Australia Day, Poppies for Anzac day, eggs, bunnies and chicks for Easter, Santas' nowmen etc for Christmas, Flowers for Spring, snowflakes for winter, sunny vistas for summer and pretty leaves for Autumn etc etc etc. We could have head contests to see who has the prettiest design (sort of like Easter bonnet parades, or hats at spring racing carnival/ melbourne cup day) <LOL>... I even found a site on the web where you can buy henna and stencils for doing henna tattoos on your scalp - http://www.chemochicks.com/shop_head_art_transfer_stencil.htm and http://chemochicks.myshopify.com/products/head-art-transfer-stencil and images of people who paint there scalps - http://newslite.tv/2010/03/12/bald-man-paints-head-rather-th.html# more at http://wastetimepost.com/450ce481357/painted%20head

Yes Shazinoz my 1st chemo is on 3 May, next week, so myself and 3 grandchildren together with a girlfriend and her three are going to get the clippers and body paints out and have a party on my head a week after my first chemo.  My eldest granddaughter,9, has been having a bit of a hard time and  getting quite distressed about me being bald because of the 'medicine' so I decided to make it a fun experience so everyone is going to have a go at shaving my head, perhaps painting it and we'll take lots of pics and hopefully have lots of laughs!  Hair is overrated anyway, im actually looking forward to not having to look after it!

Hi Joy, I guess taking control does give you more power and make it feel like you're one step ahead in making the decisions.  I was at my oncologists the day you are talking about so if you were at Cotton Tree then yes it was me.  If not there's another woman out there with great taste in hair colour! ;-)

x

Hi Linda

Love the hair! Like you I took control and it went before I started chemo, not for me the shedding of hair on pillows and in the shower. Amazing how making that decision has affected my attitude for my whole cancer journey. This disease makes you feel out of control but I met it head on and said that my hair was going on my terms!

I saw a woman with purple hair in the Breast Oncology Clinic waiting room yesterday, as I sailed past heading to Radiotherapy. Wonder if we are being treated at the same hospital?

There are many survival statistics that I can post for you, however we are all individuals and statistics are based on every woman who has had your type of breast cancer regardless of age, pre-existing conditions, ability to weather treatment, ability to be compliant with medication in the long term etc.  

Your Surgeon has obtained clear margins for you and your Oncologist could give you a much better estimate of your 10 year survival percentage, but remember that it is still only an estimate based on their experience.

 With love

Joy K.

I LOVE the purple hair, what a GREAT idea, before it all falls out,a dn go the mohawk, if you want. I stated to lose my hair around day 14, mild on the 14th day and then began in earnest, cut it off to an 8mm crew cut on day 17 when I couldn't stand the long lengths of hair everywhere any longer (I woke choking on it, it would fall in my dinner, it was EVERYWHERE, and drove me BONKERS.

We took some photos before it began falling out from all sides, in case I wanted a wig (which I was and still am pretty sure I don't want), and to remind when what it looked like in case it comes back different)

So on Day 17 post 1st cycle of TCH chemo I told the hubby it was time (we had already talked about cutting it of when it started to fall out so that I didn't look like a mangey dog, with long hair with bald patches throgh it <LOL>) so he got out the scissors (I kept some of it for posterity, in case it grows back in different), cut off a lot of it and then got the clippers stuck in and trimmed it all over to 8mm and then a bit shorted around the edge to make it look/feel/ sit better. I actually don't mind it, feels cool, (feels a bit odd at first especially when you fell the wind blowing in it etc, )drys easy, is still falling out just as much but much harder to notice on everything like clothes, bed etc. My hubby calls me GI Jane, as he reckons it looks like I am joining the military (not so much now as it is thinning like crazy now and not a whole lot left just a light covering of very short hair (you can see my scalp through it a lot more, but that doesn;t bother me either).

Good Luck for your first chemo cycle (not that you will need it, I am sure you will do fine, and if you do get side effects remember to call and tell your oncologist, breast care nurse, chemo nurses etc to get soemthign for it,a s there are a lot of meds they can give to help with most of the side effects from chemo these days, makign it MUCH more bareable).

LOVE the name by the way, I too look at my cancer with a sense of humour - No boob, and silicone implant (hey perky boob for ever - no saggy boobs here (the other one is begin done after chemo as a preventative measure),; No hair, hey saves time, and money on hairdresses, shampoo, getting ready etc; No "body" hair, great no shaving etc (the Brazillian takes a bit of getting used to though, not my personal choice for style :-) ); Menopause, hey great no periods for at leat 6 months (and who knows maybe they wont come back - incovenient little buggers <LOL> (my periods causes my pre-exisiting chronic pain conditions to flare, so I have always hated them and used to skip them and only have 3-4 a year but as my tumour is ER+ I can't take the pill anymore so this is out). There is a silver lining to every cloud.

I LOVE the purple hair, what a GREAT idea, before it all falls out,a dn go the mohawk, if you want. I stated to lose my hair around day 14, mild on the 14th day and then began in earnest, cut it off to an 8mm crew cut on day 17 when I couldn't stand the long lengths of hair everywhere any longer (I woke choking on it, it would fall in my dinner, it was EVERYWHERE, and drove me BONKERS.

We took some photos before it began falling out from all sides, in case I wanted a wig (which I was and still am pretty sure I don't want), and to remind when what it looked like in case it comes back different)

So on Day 17 post 1st cycle of TCH chemo I told the hubby it was time (we had already talked about cutting it of when it started to fall out so that I didn't look like a mangey dog, with long hair with bald patches throgh it <LOL>) so he got out the scissors (I kept some of it for posterity, in case it grows back in different), cut off a lot of it and then got the clippers stuck in and trimmed it all over to 8mm and then a bit shorted around the edge to make it look/feel/ sit better. I actually don't mind it, feels cool, (feels a bit odd at first especially when you fell the wind blowing in it etc, )drys easy, is still falling out just as much but much harder to notice on everything like clothes, bed etc. My hubby calls me GI Jane, as he reckons it looks like I am joining the military (not so much now as it is thinning like crazy now and not a whole lot left just a light covering of very short hair (you can see my scalp through it a lot more, but that doesn;t bother me either).

Good Luck for your first chemo cycle (not that you will need it, I am sure you will do fine, and if you do get side effects remember to call and tell your oncologist, breast care nurse, chemo nurses etc to get soemthign for it,a s there are a lot of meds they can give to help with most of the side effects from chemo these days, makign it MUCH more bareable).

LOVE the name by the way, I too look at my cancer with a sense of humour - No boob, and silicone implant (hey perky boob for ever - no saggy boobs here (the other one is begin done after chemo as a preventative measure),; No hair, hey saves time, and money on hairdresses, shampoo, getting ready etc; No "body" hair, great no shaving etc (the Brazillian takes a bit of getting used to though, not my personal choice for style :-) ); Menopause, hey great no periods for at leat 6 months (and who knows maybe they wont come back - incovenient little buggers <LOL> (my periods causes my pre-exisiting chronic pain conditions to flare, so I have always hated them and used to skip them and only have 3-4 a year but as my tumour is ER+ I can't take the pill anymore so this is out). There is a silver lining to every cloud.

Thanks for the comments! oddly enough Leone, Im looking forward to the headwear. Hair is overrated! Chipmonk, I start Chemo next Thursday on the 3rd so you'll have to let me know how it goes for you so we can compare.

Now that I do have a date Im feeling a little better.

Does anyone have much info on 10 year survival rates to compare against, just out of curiosity?

Linda x

Thanks for the comments! oddly enough Leone, Im looking forward to the headwear. Hair is overrated! Chipmonk, I start Chemo next Thursday on the 3rd so you'll have to let me know how it goes for you so we can compare.

Now that I do have a date Im feeling a little better.

Does anyone have much info on 10 year survival rates to compare against, just out of curiosity?

Linda x

Hi Tumour with Humour

What a fantastic website name. Love the hair as well.

Try to be positive as that does help heaps. The "Pink sister" site as Leonie called is fantastic. I too am quite new to this website and journey. But I find the "sister hood" so encouraging and courageous. Ask for any advice or comment and the blogs are so inspirational.

I start chemo this Friday 27/4/12, am me too am scared. But I know I will not be alone as I can talk to so many people not just here on the website, but the nurses/doctors during the chemo. Don't forget that they are also a great shoulder to cry on, if need be.

I am also on Thursday getting my hair cut real short. The hair is going on my terms....... :)

Hope you feel better real soon, and stay positive.

Big hugs and positive thoughts going your way

Julie XX

Welcome to our Pink Sister site.   I am so glad that you have been getting benefit from the good info on this site.  Yes, chemo is scarey but the other choice is scarey too.  I still have my portacath in (finished chemo early June 2011).  I have it flushed every couple of weeks at a cost of $20 each time.  I would rather being spending $20 on ice creams or something else more yummy but "it is as it is" so I just keep going along.  My specialist think I will be needing it again so I just live with "Penny Portacath".  I love your hair - enjoy the fun and a sense of humour goes a long way even if it makes some people shudder at times.   I had long hair and really enjoyed having the graduated shorter styles.  Then when I had no hair I loved the hats and headgear.  I'm sure you will too and it will be during winter time like I had it.  Best wishes to you XLeonie PS  If you want to keep in touch just ad me as a contact.