Tuesday, July 14, 2009

The great chemo hair lottery

Even people who have not had cancer seem to be aware that after you lose your hair to chemo, it could come back different than what you had before chemo. It could come back better, maybe less gray, they say hopefully.I liked my old hair (apparently I am alone in that) but I'll take any hair at this point. I seem to be a loser in this hair lottery. It is black and silver. The ends are starting to curl a bit. I put gel in it so every last mm could be seen-about 30 mm at its longest which would be this ridge on the top of my scalp. Think modified mohawk. Yesterday at the Y I ran into a winner in the hair lottery. Ann had gray streaks before chemo but now her hair is a uniform chocolate brown. I won't even have to dye it. Her hair was the same length as mine now on my last day of radiation. She had an appointment right before me on the same machine. That day they took an hour of positioning xrays on her while I stewed though at least I was free to move around unlike her.

I assumed she had dyed it since it is so mono chromatic. She is hoping to get better boobs too. I wish her well: she has gone through alot, much more than myself so she deserves a few breaks.
I meet women who swear up and down they had straight blonde hair but now it is black and curly.

There was an article today saying that women with migraines have 70% less breast cancer. It is surmised that hormones have something to do with it. I had migraines briefly as a teen. Every morning, I would get a stabbing pain in my right temple. It would last 15-30 minutes then go away. Life during this brief time was horrible. The migraines disappeared after I started birth control pills, which I took to mitigate very bad cramps. I had read about the birth control pills being good for cramps while I was in high school. I pointed this out to my mom but she said something inane about then I wouldn't have consequences if I had sex. Thanks, I guess I'll just writhe in agony instead. But as soon as I could, I got my meathooks on some and my life of pain was over. I am assuming these migraine sufferers just get less estrogen positive BC.

I was able to extend my run to 7 miles this morning. My cardiovascular system is improving faster than my skeletal system. I am sore but my muscle tone is much better. I've lost 14 lbs now-still alot to go but isn't so jiggily.

4 comments:

Holly said...

i want to see a picture of your new hair!!

Sara Diana said...

I have suffered with hormonal migranes all of my life, making me sick, weak - the lot. The birth control pill made them worse but they improved the overall quality of my life which has been ruled by PCSO!

My hair is growing back. Before it was a dark dark brown and now it seems to be black!! Not sure if my skin tone can take black! Like you, I don't care what it grows back like, I JUST WANT HAIR!!

I have asthma and when I was running (BC) I started to use a breath exerciser - they really do work!

Sue in Italia/In the Land Of Cancer said...

Hi Holly
Maybe I'll post a picture when I have a little more hair. Even though I am now out and about with my new do, I still feel bald.

Tracey said...

Your not alone in loving your hair before you lost it.. so did i.. mine was the best it had ever been!

when i lost it i was devistated but, 2 years on i'm loving it again... it grew back white!!!!! and curly aarrgghh. i was the spitting image of my late mum!

anyway, i went to my hairdresser and he worked magic with it by putting a dark dye on followed by blonde on the tips.. he also styled it the best he could, it was a bit of a pixie cut
( i have pics of every stage of my hair growth to help other friends know how long it takes to get to a certain stage, if your on facebook let me know and i'll let you see them, or email whichever x)
xxx

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