My hair is coming off tomorrow :-(

Thanks everyone - I am so happy that you all like the "Butterfly Effect" - I thought of this as I was diagnosed at the start of Winter - then realised "Wow" I will be finished (sort of) in Spring - A Caterpillar goes into its "Cocoon" to strengthen itself for its transition into a "Butterfly" - all Breast Cancer patients do the same, upon diagnosis we basically go within ourselves to analysis "Why Me".  It takes enormous strength to go through Chemo (even if you do not have Chemo - it still takes so much energy just to survive knowing you have cancer) - we all cope differently - but at the end of the day we all go within (Cocoon) and then we come out (Butterfly) with a greater and renewed sense of "Us" - You realise wow I have fought the good fight and WON - Butterflies be free to fly and show your beautiful colours to everyone - WHY - Because you have earn't every lovely and beautiful colour on your new sense of empowerment - You SURVIVED BREAST CANCER!!!!! 

Thanks everyone - I am so happy that you all like the "Butterfly Effect" - I thought of this as I was diagnosed at the start of Winter - then realised "Wow" I will be finished (sort of) in Spring - A Caterpillar goes into its "Cocoon" to strengthen itself for its transition into a "Butterfly" - all Breast Cancer patients do the same, upon diagnosis we basically go within ourselves to analysis "Why Me".  It takes enormous strength to go through Chemo (even if you do not have Chemo - it still takes so much energy just to survive knowing you have cancer) - we all cope differently - but at the end of the day we all go within (Cocoon) and then we come out (Butterfly) with a greater and renewed sense of "Us" - You realise wow I have fought the good fight and WON - Butterflies be free to fly and show your beautiful colours to everyone - WHY - Because you have earn't every lovely and beautiful colour on your new sense of empowerment - You SURVIVED BREAST CANCER!!!!! 

Hi to Carol and other butterflies!

I come from Sydney and can visualise a happy run across the 'bridge. Live in Perth now and there are lots of good events to join. When talking to my kids tonight they asked 'what would you be happy doing in the future?' after some thought I realised I would like to do volunteer work in my 'time off' (am going to work half time next year). . so fundraising for bc will fit in but I also love animals so will get involved with a nearby rescue centre -and have a chance to get close to something that makes me feel good and help regain my confidence and hopefully do the little things that get put on the backburner as we get on with everyday life.

Positive happy thoughts to all!

cheers,Sue

How wonderful that Sharon compared herself (and us all!) to butterflies!

My radiation last day is 8th October so I shall certainly be thinking of the emergence of a 'new' me! Good luck for your op Sharon.

My final stitches in my scalp from cysts were removed today and the surgeon admired my sparse growth ("thanks Sue for not growing it while I still had cysts & stitches to remove. Now on withall this fab growing" roughly his words!) and was very reassuring about the slow progress that will occur as the 'infill' happens. . and a lady in the hospital chatted to me about her hair journey as I was putting on my 'clown face' in the most friendly and happy way. I am so glad that I meet these gorgeous and positive people along my path.

I was terrible when I was diagnosed - all I could think about was how was I going to cope losing my Identity???  Then my beautiful Breast Cancer Nurse said how long is your hair??  Have you thought of donating it to the childrens Alapicia Foundation?  Suddenly felt so good that my loss would be someone gain - booked in the Hairdresser to cut my hair short in preparation.  On my last day of working grabbed my Mum had a lovely day out with lunch to prepare for the haircut.  To donate your hair had to be a minimum of 30cm - mine came in at 25cm - well that was it - I just started to cry so hard - my wonderful thought of doing a loss for a gain was not going to be.  I asked Mum to sit next to me as now it was becoming all too real - suddenly it dawned on me "Yes I have Cancer" - I also had convinced myself that someone was going to tell me that it is ok now - sorry it has all been a mistake, getting my hair cut made it very REAL.

I had lost my beautiful Dad to cancer only 3 years before - suddenly this crappy disease was consuming me too - then I cried harder & suddenly I looked around and realised I had the entire Hairdressing Salon crying with me.

After my first Chemo round the hair started to fall on a Monday little by little by the Thursday it was coming out thick and fast.  I too could not take the tingling feeling - the worst was anything touching my head - really ouccchhyyy, so I asked my sister to do the shave, we made a day of it by me going to her place having lunch and then the big chop.  Again it was a sad day, as soon as the hair come off my Mum started to cry - I asked what was wrong - "Oh she said you look so much like your Dad"  - that was it we all started to cry.

Now on Sept 3 have had my last Round of Chemo - I have embraced my loss as my "Gain" - I am on the home stretch and my hair will eventually return - I have made a fashion statement of wearing my scarves and headwear - I have on so many occassions been given compliments - so really my loss at the end of this will be my personal gain - I have learnt to embrace me on a higher level - my hair does not define me - I define me.  I am now looking so forward to my new hair do - when it grows that is.

Losing your hair is so hard - but I have realised that for me this journery has been likened to a catapillar going into a cocoon only to come out a beautiful butterfly - I started this journey in Winter and now will blossom into a beautiful Butterfly in Spring - Operation booked for October 8 - the butterfly is almost ready to fly.....

Hi all,

The hopefullness of regrowth is there -and now the wish it would grow quicker! Mine is very sparse and 7 weeks post chemo and sticks up with a small curl (the hairs that are there!) but I seem to have more stubble growing through. Linda, I never lost it all as there was always a little stubble that didn't grow. I had to have 4 cysts removed from my head so when all the stitches are taken out I was going to ask my hairdresser to shave the light growth in the hope it will thicken it.

I also go out with my first preference hair cover and take other scarves or caps with me. I find I get hot & cold and also some feel tight so I warn people wthat I might pop into a hiding place and change so I am more comfortable and I'm not trying to be a fashion diva! I got a sort of band fron the wig shop that is stretchy and adjusts with velcro and it helps hold any scarves in place. You become very good at using 'normal' scarves folded into triangles and then it isn't expensive to buy some different colours to match outfits.

And I guess we can be glad we save money on shampoo for a while!

cheers, Sue

Hi Linda, the hair loss problem is one which is a very individual issue. I think the hardest part for me was just before it started falling out, was that  my roots became super sensitive and even painful to the touch! My husband has a habit of patting me on the head when he walks past and it hurt so much I had to ask him to stop! It even hurt to put my head on a pillow at night. The oncologist told me it was the nerve endings being affected by the chemo.

Once it all came off (a #1 with my wonderful hairdresser) out all that settled down and I started wearing some lovely scarves I bought online from the US. I also bought a wig like my normal cut from a specialist wig store, took it to my hairdresser and she trimmed it to suit me even better. (If you have private health they pay for most of it.)

It all comes down to what you want for yourself at this stage whether it be caps, scarves or wigs. You will be surprised at the "lack of staring" that you get, when you are expecting to stand out like a traffic hazard sign! I think it comes down to all the people, out daily in public, going about their normal activities, with their head in a lovely scarf etc and not worrying about other people's reaction!

Just remember to help your hair grow back strong and healthy, treat the regrowth gently with baby shampoo initially, and it will all come good. It may be a different texture and character at first (super curly for me, after a lifetime of fine and straight), but it comes back to normal eventually. Let the new hair get to a length that your hairdresser can work with, before you cut it, so talk to her about how long she needs it so she can style it.

Good wishes to you, Louise

P.S. The Look Good Feel Good meetings are brilliant for tips on skin, makeup and hair covering tips.

Hi Linda, the hair loss problem is one which is a very individual issue. I think the hardest part for me was just before it started falling out, was that  my roots became super sensitive and even painful to the touch! My husband has a habit of patting me on the head when he walks past and it hurt so much I had to ask him to stop! It even hurt to put my head on a pillow at night. The oncologist told me it was the nerve endings being affected by the chemo.

Once it all came off (a #1 with my wonderful hairdresser) out all that settled down and I started wearing some lovely scarves I bought online from the US. I also bought a wig like my normal cut from a specialist wig store, took it to my hairdresser and she trimmed it to suit me even better. (If you have private health they pay for most of it.)

It all comes down to what you want for yourself at this stage whether it be caps, scarves or wigs. You will be surprised at the "lack of staring" that you get, when you are expecting to stand out like a traffic hazard sign! I think it comes down to all the people, out daily in public, going about their normal activities, with their head in a lovely scarf etc and not worrying about other people's reaction!

Just remember to help your hair grow back strong and healthy, treat the regrowth gently with baby shampoo initially, and it will all come good. It may be a different texture and character at first (super curly for me, after a lifetime of fine and straight), but it comes back to normal eventually. Let the new hair get to a length that your hairdresser can work with, before you cut it, so talk to her about how long she needs it so she can style it.

Good wishes to you, Louise

P.S. The Look Good Feel Good meetings are brilliant for tips on skin, makeup and hair covering tips.