After the nasty time in the chair during the last chemo – and then the days of being both hung over and “acutely aware” from the double dose of steroids – the aftermath of the second round was more tolerable than the first. My roughest days are those followed by sleepless nights, but I’m adjusting to that too.
This being my good week (between treatments), I’ve been a little more sociable, going out for a few hours each day, sporting my new cap from the American Cancer Society catalog (on clearance!). So other than being now completely bald and having tolerable mouth and cold sores, I’m pretty much me.
I’ve noticed two advantages to chemo. I haven’t had to pluck my eyebrows since the first go-round – and the skin on my face exfoliates every morning after my shower. Just rubbing my fingers across my warm, damp skin has dead cells rolling off like teeny tiny rolls of dough. No wonder my face is so sensitive to the sun, it’s always brand new! For a really thorough exfoliation, ladies, I highly recommend several months of chemo.
Now that my hair is gone I quite honestly am appreciating the time (and “product”!) saved. And, NO BAD HAIR DAYS. What’s more, Greg and I think the shape of my head is somewhat attractive. If it weren’t for my aging neck, I could model for the American Cancer Society wig catalog. And God bless ‘em, but eyelashes and eyebrows are still hanging on and look more prominent and beautiful than ever!
(There is, however, one disadvantage to baldness that is easily managed with a warm stocking cap, both day and night. You would not believe how cold it is up there. Even the motion of walking across a room stirs up enough wind to send a chill down my spine.)
And so it goes.
My sister-in-law, Anne, is coming up for the weekend – and I look forward to her good company. Then on Monday, Mary Rogoski is arriving to sit through next Tuesday’s chemo with me. There’s no denying I enjoy the attention. I think Greg shaved his beard and eyebrows because he’s envious of all the attention coming my way, to tell you the truth.
This being my good week (between treatments), I’ve been a little more sociable, going out for a few hours each day, sporting my new cap from the American Cancer Society catalog (on clearance!). So other than being now completely bald and having tolerable mouth and cold sores, I’m pretty much me.
I’ve noticed two advantages to chemo. I haven’t had to pluck my eyebrows since the first go-round – and the skin on my face exfoliates every morning after my shower. Just rubbing my fingers across my warm, damp skin has dead cells rolling off like teeny tiny rolls of dough. No wonder my face is so sensitive to the sun, it’s always brand new! For a really thorough exfoliation, ladies, I highly recommend several months of chemo.
Now that my hair is gone I quite honestly am appreciating the time (and “product”!) saved. And, NO BAD HAIR DAYS. What’s more, Greg and I think the shape of my head is somewhat attractive. If it weren’t for my aging neck, I could model for the American Cancer Society wig catalog. And God bless ‘em, but eyelashes and eyebrows are still hanging on and look more prominent and beautiful than ever!
(There is, however, one disadvantage to baldness that is easily managed with a warm stocking cap, both day and night. You would not believe how cold it is up there. Even the motion of walking across a room stirs up enough wind to send a chill down my spine.)
And so it goes.
My sister-in-law, Anne, is coming up for the weekend – and I look forward to her good company. Then on Monday, Mary Rogoski is arriving to sit through next Tuesday’s chemo with me. There’s no denying I enjoy the attention. I think Greg shaved his beard and eyebrows because he’s envious of all the attention coming my way, to tell you the truth.
