new to BC - Page 2

SuePer · 09-26-2007, 06:53 AM

Thank you ladies for all your support and help, you guys are amazing. This deal is so scary, but it becomes a bit easier when other people have been through the exact same nightmare.

I can't figure out how to do my profile, so here is a bit about me. My Dad died when I was 17 with Lukemia (sp), Mom when I was 25 with MS. My daughter of 15 died in a MVA, and the day after my resent second marriage my son hung himself. I'm a Canadian living in Alabama with the love of my life, we have been married only a year when this nightmare hit us. He is so supportive, kind, loving and I could go on and on. I thank God everyday for him and his family, they are pretty much all I have left. My 2 older brothers live in Ottawa Canada and I don't see them much at all.

So if I get pissed off at this whole routine, please forgive me, I'm just fed up with crap in my life and scared to death.

Here is a silly question, what do you guys wear to bed on you head, doesn't your head get cold. I don't wear hats at all so this is going to be a challenge in every direction.

thanks
Sue

BonnieR · 09-26-2007, 08:00 AM

Sue, thank you for sharing with us. Now you have an extended family here, too.
For your practical questions. I have gotten a satin pillow case (via internet) which they claim makes the head less "itchy" when sleeping. And I think it is supposed to be warm in winter, cool in summer. Also there are sleeping caps that you get get on line or thru various catalogues that sell products just for us. The Cancer Society has a TLC catalog of these types of thing. Some local women's groups knit caps that they donate to cancer centers. And I was told that the thin cap worn under a wig can also be worn to bed. Use Google.
Does you local cancer society do a "Look Good, Feel Better" program? They give out head coverings.......
I am like you, I HATE stuff on my head. Never wore hats but am finding that a scarf when out, or my wig, are working fine for the short term. I just wont wear them at home. Too confining and "skritchy"
I have to run to chemo. More later.....

janet11 · 09-26-2007, 11:25 AM

I tried a sleep cap from TLC. Every time I turned over it got twisted and I finally realized I didn't need it at all. I was perfectly comfortable sleeping cuddled under the covers (during the winter anyway) with my head out. After all, half the head is on the pillow anyway.

Good luck. TCH was VERY doable for me!

Cristina19 · 10-06-2007, 09:40 PM

Sue,

How are you doing?

I've read your bio and I'm not even going to try to say anything to "make it better." The things that we run into in life are not fair, not right. I recently went through a divorce (that I did not initiate) and often felt as if I was sinking with only the tip of a straw above water to breathe. I'm glad you have a good support system; I am eternally grateful for the man in my life. He has shown me what true love is when it's hard to feel attractive with scars and no hair.

That said, I've been thinking of you. Our diagnoses and reconstruction are similar. I've been trying to get an appointment for a port and it's been a pain to schedule; I'm looking at a third chemo with an IV which I don't mind except that everyone is scaring me that the drugs can damage arm veins.

My chemo is next week. Yours?

Hang in there and ask for all the support you need.

Best,
Cristina

Cristina19 · 10-06-2007, 09:51 PM

By the way, my head does get a little chilly now that I'm stubbly. I've ordered some different kinds of head coverings from the TLC catalogue that's put out by the American Cancer Society but my favorite knit berets I just bought at Target. Seeing as they're a big corporate place, they might have the same caps in your part of the country. They are lightweight; I will definitely need something warmer as the weather cools. Tonight, I pulled out a polartec cap that I bought when I went to the snow in January.

Most anything without seams (or, at least, soft seams) will work okay for sleeping. I also cut the elastic on some of the soft caps I bought because they were just tight enough to press my ears uncomfortably.

When I sheared my hair off, I left it stubbly. I didn't want to be shiny bald. The down side of this was that the stubble against my pillow hurt. Any man who has tried to sleep with a short beard or who hasn't shaved in a day or two will tell you that it hurts. Now I know what they are talking about.

My hair was falling and thinning so much (about three to four weeks after my first treatment) that I couldn't even get away with a short "pixie" cut. I started to look like a monk. The weird thing is that it seems to have kind of stopped falling and even the stubble has grown a little bit.

As the teenagers say: Whatever!

Best,
Cristina