Summer 2012 RADS HANG OUT

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  • Hiker61
    Hiker61 Member Posts: 65
    edited September 2012

    @Melrose--I quit head coverings 2 weeks ago. My hair has come in pretty quickly and is about 3/4 of an inch. It's still a little short to look like a "statement" haircut, but getting there! A LOT of silver...wrestling with the coloring question! Lost half my lashes and brows in the last 6 weeks and am just NOW starting to lose fingernails--wacky timing! I'm glad you are recovering well and not having SEs from tamox. 

    @Stacie--Good that you aren't having SEs from Femara--I hope I follow the same path with Arimidex--so far, so good. 

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  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited September 2012

    Had my hair colored and also had the teeniest tips buzzed on to to get the fuzz and uneveness out. I am a redhead and fancy myself like Annie Lennox. I love it and the color took great.

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  • Summer51
    Summer51 Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2012

    Good for you Stacie..What color was your hair before BC?

     I bet you look fabulous!!!  I'm still trying to decide what to do with the color.  I am mainly white with a little "pepper".  And it's straight as a board.  BBC I had curly brown hair with some grey around the temples which I colored every 5 weeks.

    I'm debating whether or not I have the nerve to go back into the office tomorrow "Au natural".  I've had it with Lola (my wig).  She was good to me for months, but I think it's time to end our relationship.  As the say "breaking up is hard to do"  I just need the courage.

    Diane

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  • Hiker61
    Hiker61 Member Posts: 65
    edited September 2012

    @Stacie--I said something to the rad techs about Annie Lennox in reference to my own hair, and of course, they had no idea who I was talking about (because they are all 20-somethings)! I'd love to think I look like Annie too!

    @Diane--I got tons of positive feedback when I went to the office au naturel (2 weeks ago now). Now, I totally forget about my head in public! 

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  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited September 2012

    I've always been a redhead.

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited September 2012

    Summer51: I am looking for courage too! I start back to work tomorrow, I'm midway through rads, 10 weeks PFC, and don't quite have full coverage... I've had the nerve to go au natural in my neighborhood, with close friends, but work is a different story. I keep telling myself I have nothing to feel ashamed about, I should be proud of how I've come through all I've come through... But still needing that extra shot of courage...

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited September 2012

    Congrats Hiker and VVH!!!! This is your week, Stacie!!! 

    Here are 4 pics from this weekend's wedding.  I had a great time.  It was perfect!!!!!!! http://s1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj616/kjliberty1/

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  • Nkb
    Nkb Member Posts: 1,436
    edited September 2012

    How beautiful, gorgeous wedding dress, loved the blue dress also.

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited September 2012

    Nkb:  Thank you!  I bought the dress the day after my dx in January. I guess you could say it was retail therapy. I didn't know what shape I would be in for the wedding.  Just glad it still fit!

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  • SusannahW
    SusannahW Member Posts: 470
    edited September 2012

    Karen, how beautiful!

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  • Summer51
    Summer51 Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2012

    Karen,  You look beautiful with and without!  What a wonderful day that must have been for ALL of you to be together and celebrate a new beginning.  I bet your son was on cloud nine to have you with him when he married his beautiful bride.  Much love and happiness to the newlyweds.

    Keep smiling, you are stunning!

    Diane

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  • Summer51
    Summer51 Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2012

    KCB-I went to work today and just couldn't find the strength to go in without the  wig. I went downstairs this morning and found sticky  notes posted by my husband with words of encouragement.  "Feel the air in your hair"  You're as beautiful outside as you are inside"  "Grey hair rules"  etc.  He makes me laugh, but still had to put the wig on. Maybe next week when I finish rads. 

    Diane

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited September 2012

    Diane, I was probably on a higher cloud to be surrounded by ALL my family and friends for the first time since my DX--and on a happy occasion.  I can't tell you the joy I felt the entire weekend.

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited September 2012

    Summer51: same story here... Went with my trusty scarf. Everyone said how great I look...huh? Nice of them to say so. My hair is so much more gray, as well, than it was before chemo. I seem to remember having a few stands, appropriate to my 44 years, but what I have now is full on gray!! Don't really care too much, I'll fuss about colour once I don't see my scalp anymore!

    Your dh sounds lovely.

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  • chapter4
    chapter4 Member Posts: 155
    edited September 2012

    Summer51. Great husband!

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  • Raelan
    Raelan Member Posts: 200
    edited September 2012

    Diane - What a great husband. You'll eventually feel confident enough to go without your wig. I'm getting there.



    I'm currently 10 weeks PFC and have given up wearing wigs and scarfs for the most part. I'm working from home so am not sure what I'll do once I return to the office in a couple of weeks. Well see. Even if I start back wearing my wig, I dont think it will be too long before I ditch it. Will need to put some semi-permanent color on first. Not sure if I have more grey now since I colored my hair forever, however, what I do have has got to go!



    I can smell the end of my treatment. Finished my last full chest/arm pit session today (#28) and have just 5 boosts left. I am so ready to be done. I'm very red and sore. No blistering, thankfully, but my skin has about had it.

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  • Summer51
    Summer51 Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2012

    Hi Raelan,

    Congrats on finishing whole breast rads.  Just 5 boosts to go-good for you.  I finish 28 on Friday, the 5 boosts bext week.  My car is on auto-pilot, I might just show up at the rad office when I'm done!  Can't wait.  It will be 9 months from the date I was diagnosed to my last rad treatment.  I think having a baby would have been easier!

    I need to get rid of the grey too.  Can't stand looking in the mirror.  Need to find the time to get to the hair salon. 

    I do have  a great husband.  He has been my rock.  Don't know how I would have survived the last 9 months without. 

    Good luck with your boosts,  Please let me know how they are.  I'm getting "cold" feet.  Don't know what to expect.  I have films scheduled today for Monday's boost, so maybe I'll find out more.

    Diane

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  • sandik
    sandik Member Posts: 482
    edited September 2012

    Well, looks like Im moving to this thread now. I go today to get marked. Should be starting in 2 weeks. 

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  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited September 2012

    Hi Sandi. We've gotta stop meeting like this. Couldn't we meet at Disneyland next time?



    Just finished RADS today ladies. Now I am planning a hoedown for my 50th in Nov.

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited September 2012

    Congratulations Stacie!! That must feel amazing, to be done! How's your skin doing?

    And congrats on your 50th as well!

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited September 2012
    Hiker61- My hair is coming in black as it was before and with more grey/silver than before.  It is so velvety soft right now.   I'm getting closer to not wearing a cap or hat when I go out.  I'd like my hair just to be a tad longer and a little more filled in before I do.    Now, I'm just waiting to see what the final color will be before I decide what to do, if anything.  Glad to have my eyebrows and bottom eyelashes back.  The top eyelashes are slowly going but it's okay.  I know they will come back.  I've been using Biotene shampoo which who knows helps or not.  Sorry to hear about the nails---- that is just so unfair and a bummer!!!  Make sure you start posting on the Living Life Hang out so we can keep up with other!!!!
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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited September 2012
    Sandik- I guess it is time for you to be here.  Wishing you the best with the rads.  You know why I'm here--- to give you and everyone else some support and " Atta girls".  Cool
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  • Stacie
    Stacie Member Posts: 607
    edited September 2012

    I am red and sore. The boost area is stinging. The fold beneath my breast has some break down. I think i will be ok.

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  • Lumpynme
    Lumpynme Member Posts: 747
    edited September 2012

    i made it to half way this week...have 16 left including boosts... skin still in good shape...

    tired but i think it's more emotional due to last weekend's 12 hour (each way)drive to wisconsin to see brother in law with pancreatic stage IV....

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  • Lumpynme
    Lumpynme Member Posts: 747
    edited September 2012

    i made it to half way this week...have 16 left including boosts... skin still in good shape...

    tired but i think it's more emotional due to last weekend's 12 hour (each way)drive to wisconsin to see brother in law with pancreatic stage IV....

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  • Hortense
    Hortense Member Posts: 982
    edited September 2012

    21 days or is it 22? Can't seem to keep count. I'm definitely getting some color and little red dots are breaking out. It's odd to see the line of where the beam goes so defined by the change in color. Some times it itches, but ususally it doesn't. I've been keeping it covered in Aquaphor. Yucky thick  stuff. I usually take a Kleenex and carefully arrange it over my breast after putting it on just to try to protect my clothing a bit. Someone suggested cutting old t-shirts into squares and using them as protection and I now think that is a good idea. I may try it.

    I go for boost set up next week. It's amazing that that is happening already. Radiation has gone quickly. I am beginning to feel tired. At first I thought it was from the long drive I have to do each day to go there and back, three hours over all, but the technicians told me it was my body trying to repair itself. I think they might be right so I am trying to rest more.

    I have to say, so far, radiation has not been a bad experience. 

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited September 2012

    Sandi:  Glad you finally made it over here!

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  • Raelan
    Raelan Member Posts: 200
    edited September 2012

    Oh happy day.  I finished my last radiation session today and am officially DONE with all my treatment.  It's been an extremely long haul:  6 months of surgery, chemo, hospitalization for an infection during chemo (which included a say in ICU due to sepsis), and radiation.  

    When I first started this journey it was really hard for me to see the finish line, but I focused on taking it one day at a time, hell, one step at a time, and now I'm here.  My hair is growing back, my eyebrows are totally back, and my eyelashes are on the mend.  

    My skin is pretty raw and sore from the radiation, but I now get to focus on my recovery.   They have a bell in the radiation area you get to ring when you are finished and I never rang anything quite so loud and long.....it felt great!!!!  I brought in cupcakes for all the wonderful nurses and technicians in both the oncology and radiology area, and wore a really silly hat to my appointment.  The staff all loved it!  

    Hang in there gals, you will reach the end and I can assure you it feels wonderful!        

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  • kjiberty
    kjiberty Member Posts: 1,385
    edited September 2012

    Raelan:  Congrats!!!!  Doing the happy dance for you!  Time to start living again!  

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  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 365
    edited September 2012

    Raelan: So so happy for you!! What a celebration!!

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