This is very true. It varies wildly from one person to the next. I didn’t like the idea of waking up in the morning with clumps of hair on my pillow, so when I first started losing hair, I had my daughter shave my head. Interestingly, my head stayed bald throughout chemo, but I never lost my mustache. It thinned out quite a bit, but didn’t go away.
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One piece of advice my sister got, and I think its good, is that once you start loosing your hair (if you do), embrace it. Shave it the hell off. Have a hat and scarf party. Or buy a wig if you need/want to. But it will be easier than mourning the loss of your hair in clumps over weeks.
An update. My surgery is scheduled for June 6, 2012. I am meeting with both of my surgeons this week for pre-op. Will be gathering clothes for when I stay at my sister’s for 2 weeks. She has no pets which means I get to wake up without my cat sitting on my chest. It also means that my son will have to wait on me hand and foot.:eek: I get to bug him about the writing of a story for my sister’s birthday, and keeping an eye on him for any kind of seizures. He suffered a seizure last night and it had been years since his last seizure.:smack:
Actually, Kid Czarcasm blacked out about six times, only remembers one blackout, and doesn’t remember conversations he had between the blackouts. We are definitely taking him in for a checkup ASAP.
Do try to make the best of things afterward. Enjoy (as much as possible) being waited on. Pick some books and movies that you’re interested in but just haven’t had time for. The distractions help.
A few years ago my sister underwent surgery for breast cancer, chemo and radiation. She continues to take the anti-estrogen drug. She didn’t have too much difficulty through any of it. She did lose her hair from the chemo, but she wore a wig, and got lots of compliments on it. If you do have to go through that, don’t let it worry you too much. You’ll get through it, too.
They want her to check in at 6am on Wednesday for a 9:30am op. If all goes well she’ll have the reconstructive op immediately afterwards, and be sent home the next day. I’m taking her out for a nice dinner at Trader Vic’s tonight(neither of us have ever been, and it sounds like fun!)
my gf’s surgery was scheduled similarly, but as an outpatient. We arrived at 6 am and after several delays they took her around noon. I was kept apprised periodically, then taken to recovery around 4. Because it was outpatient, she was wheelchaired out even though she was still vomiting from he anesthetic.
She had surprisingly little discomfort, other than nausea. Hope all goes smoothly!
We went in at 6am for the poking and prodding portion of the program, and she was taken for surgery at 10:30. They said it would take two hours…so I wait.
Best wishes! I’m sure she’ll be glad to see your face when she’s all done (If not, there should be plenty of magazines laying around, so you can choose the appropriate celebrity face for her to see first thing :D)
She had to spend a couple of extra hours in recovery due to pain issues, got to her room about 5:30. She’s drifting in and out but mostly sleeping. I’ll be spending the night next to her bed.
It also means that my son will have to wait on me hand and foot.:eek: I get to bug him about the writing of a story for my sister’s birthday,
and keeping an eye on him for any kind of seizures.
He suffered a seizure last night and it had been years since his last seizure.:smack: