It's been an eventful week since I posted my last update! I had my hair cut into a very short pixie crop a week ago today and it started to fall out on Saturday morning. I washed my hair and my hands were full of hair as was the plug hole. I thought I was mentally and emotionally prepared for it, but I cried my eyes out. By Monday, I was molting like a Labrador everywhere! I asked my youngest daughter to come over with her clippers and she shaved my head. We both cried and hugged each other, but its done now and I'm rather liking my black sparkly bandana :-D! My daughter refers to me as mystic Meg now - could be a nice little money earner for me!!! I went away for the weekend to the Gower as I needed a break away by the sea. The weather wasn't brilliant, but walking on the beach and sitting and taking in the beautiful views and sounds of the sea was a real tonic. I was feeling a lot better after my last chemo, but I got an infection in my PICC line entry and was put on a 7 day course of antibiotics last Wednesday. It got worse though and so I had to go to hospital yesterday to have it checked. I had a cellulitis infection and they were worried about blood clots, so unfortunately they had to take the picc line out. The area is still very painful and swollen, but hopefully it will get better over the next couple of days. The combination of my hair loss and the infection reduced me to tears yesterday. I looked in the mirror and it felt like I was looking at a stranger! I felt like I was grieving for the woman I was and the life I had. I allowed myself to give in to the tears and the sadness and I feel stronger emotionally today. I went to hospital today for my routine blood tests prior to chemo number 2, scheduled for Friday. I got a phone call from my nurse after I got home to say my blood count is low, so they have to repeat the test before they can give me chemo. I will lay low and rest completely in the hope that all will be well when they check my bloods again! Christmas is creeping up and thanks to my daughters wrapping my presents and decking my house and online christmas food shopping, I'm all ready to rock around the Christmas tree! My three children, with their other halves, want to spend Christmas with me this year. They will be cooking dinner as I won't be up to it so soon after chemo and I may well be having my Christmas dinner in bed, but it will be lovely having my family with me.
FormerMember
Thinking of you Galek, it takes a while to feel comfortable with the new you. I'm used to my stripped bare look now, losing my eyelashes and eyebrows I disliked more than my hair as was the last bits of femininity for me .
Hope you are well enough for the next chemo and wishing you a very Happy Christmas with your family xoxo
Thanks Sassy71. Each phase we go through is a tough learning curve. As I scrape myself off the floor each time things are really bad and wipe away the tears, I look for a positive, and losing my hair is a sign that Mr Chemo is doing its job! Your cancer journey and your attitude to everything it's thrown at you shows great inner strength and is inspiring. I know I have that inner strength and attitude too, which will keep me battling and smiling through this rubbish chapter in my life. Have a very happy Christmas too. xxx
