The physical and visual thrashing I am about to experience again, has been playing on my mind to be honest, but whilst I wouldn't be so flippant as to say 'I'm not bothered' about the pending hair/lash/brow loss, I am certainly not phased by these side effects……... just 'annoyed' I guess, ….after all, I thought I had left all that cancer crap behind me……….but yes, I know 'I have done it before' and 'know it will grow back' …blah blah blah…… but in the interest of being 'real', the very well meaning reassurances I have had about this fall very short of soothing the lack choice and control I feel I have over this.
I have been taking a look at photos and memories of the last 3 years, and to see the 'golum to glamour' transformation is helping me approach these particular side effects with more confidence…..and in fact this time, with determination of the greek mythological phoenix kind……
This made me giggle !
It was when the brows/lashes disappeared the last time around that I began to look sick and had the chemo' look about me, so this time I have given Microblading a go. I saw through the YBCN forum that many ladies are opting for this so why not !
Katy Allington, beautician was recommended to me and when I contacted her and explained why I wanted microblading, she explained that the disease had affected her family and as a subject close to her heart, she offers 20% off the price of the treatment for ladies affected by cancer treatments.
I had the microblading done on 25th June, just in time to heal before my chemo on the 10th July. I have left it too late for the top up treatment before the chemo and will have to have this six months after chemo.
I came across this picture taken of my brows when practicing my make up before Danny and Becky's wedding in August 2013 and before my diagnosis.
My eyebrows never did recover from the first lot of chemo and whilst 'Wonderbrow' sorted that out (thanks Bex), I am so far 'over the moon' with the results of microblading , and hope that when my eyebrows finally fall out, that the hair stroke's that have been finely tattooed on will camouflage the cancer look !
As for the hair, It's approaching 3 weeks since my first chemo treatment and my hair is rapidly falling out now . You probably can't tell at the moment apart from the masses of hair I'm leaving around me wherever I go. I'm combing regularly to avoid
the shedding of hair becoming noticeable in public and more importantly so it does not work its way as a mystery ingredient in the meals I prepare!
I have however, been making the most of the length of my hair and had been procrastinated over plans to get it cut short and probably thinking I would just get it shaved!
Just after my first chemo, I finally popped in to see Chris at Toni and Guy to update him about my diagnosis. With superhuman like powers of intuition, Chris soon had me booked in the next day to have my hair styled shorter.
Chris and his team saw me through the whole hair thing the last time around, however, that he would even think that this is what I needed, before I even knew myself, then approach it with me, with such professionalism was inspiring!
I'm loving my new look and I felt so empowered by the whole salon experience that day because It really did feel I was making the transition to 'baldness' on my own terms.
That day I also met with a Debby the 'hair' lady from NGH and with the help of Mary, I chose a new wig, or should I say that it chose me... it is the perfect colour and I am super excited that it is called 'Zara'.... this is also the name of my 18 month old 'great' niece, a very special lil' lady in my life and can't think of a more perfect name !
So it seems my 'ducks have lined themselves up' somewhat and I'm all ready to face the next few months without hair. Chris invited me back to have my hair shaved when I was ready, insisting that this needed to be done by people that know me.
I have very reluctantly booked 'the shave' for Tuesday 1st August. I simply can't put it off any longer. With every hand full of hair that comes out it becomes more and more disheartening and I'm less and less able to find a self deprecating joke that suitably distracts me!
I am feeling particularly encouraged by Chris's invitation and I would like to mark 'the shave' with some defiance and a long over due 'hair dare' !
I have been feeling somewhat overwhelmed with the 'treatable not curable' concept of my diagnosis and have been feeling quite uninspired on a fund raising level, hence the last minute launch of my fundraising efforts !
So here is how it works; I'm getting my hair shaved on Tuesday 1st August... I shall attempt to video this experience , but certainly take some pics and if the donations come along nicely and raise £250 I shall ignore my doubts and reservations, no matter what I look like, and post them on my blog on 15th August!
'I'm losing it anyway' .. right? ...'I've done it before and it's not really a dare'?, so why would you donate ? well on a personal level, it offers some 'purpose' to a rather grotty 'thing' I have to do, but more importantly and on a grander scale, it raises funds that mark the event with a 'F.U cancer' spirit of defiance on behalf of the many women and families that are affected by cancer.
Breast Cancer Now's successful campaign for the routine availability of Kadzyla on the NHS has particularly struck a cord with me. This happens to be the drug that is prolonging my life and the lives of the many women , so I wanted to acknowledge and celebrate the successful campaign by choosing BCNow as the charity I am dedicating this 'hair dare' to!
I have already got a 'just giving' page open for my £1000 challenge that I opened in memory of booby Jo a while back. This page has already raised £283.68 on other fundraising activities, and if would like to and are able to, feel free to donate using the 'Just Giving Shave Dare link at the bottom of this page (web version) to help me get to £534.00!
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/suzanne-wright14
Wish me luck luck luck X
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/suzanne-wright14
Wish me luck luck luck X
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