Hair Today- Gone tomorrow!

I know it's been awhile and honestly I haven't felt like posting until today.  This past week has been emotional as I met with surgical, medical and radiation oncologists.  I guess I should get used to spending most of my days at the hospital.  The bottom line is that both chemotherapy and radiation are in my future.  I begin chemotherapy next Tuesday at 9 am.  I will be taken a "T&C' cocktail which will take about 2 hours to administer through intravenous drip.  I will be getting treatments every 3 weeks for 4 rounds altogether- although the timeline is really dependent on how I feel, react to the medicine and general health.  I guess they monitor me pretty closely.  I have to start steroids the day before- that's to suppress the system so that I don't get an allergic reaction and then I start the anti nausea pills the same day.  Two days after treatment a CCAC nurse comes to administer a white blood booster injection.  The pharmacist freaked me out yesterday when he told me that they only come the first time to show me how to do it myself and then I have to do the other ones- I am sure he could tell I was totally not impressed, not sure how I am going to do that without passing out- anyone willing to do that for me???  Maybe this will be Jenna's chance to see if she is cut out to be a doctor!   After chemo is all done I get a little break of about a month and then I delve into radiation.  That will be 5 days a week for 5 weeks.  So, all in all we are hoping to be done by June.

The only side effect that I know for sure will happen is that I will lose my hair.  I would be lying if I said I was not upset about losing my hair.  I love my hair, I have never wanted to change the wave or wish for straight hair, I just really like my hair.  I was told it will probably grow back grey and the texture will be completely different.  I know it's easy to say it's just hair and look at the trade off,but it really sucks. Tomorrow I am going to it cut very short and then I made an appointment with Pat, the famous wig lady among cancer patients.  I had heard her name many times in the past few months but Tuesday I met Pat when I went to the "Look Good, Feel Better Program."  What a great program, met some great people going through their own struggles and got a fantastic box of amazing skin products and make up. 

So yesterday as I was sitting on the couch in my house coat feeling sorry for myself and having a bad day my wonderful friend and colleague  Denise popped over to deliver the most fantastic and hilarious gift- a pair of full  size pink boxing gloves!  My entire staff signed the gloves and wrote down inspirational quotes and kick ass comments.  I am going to take them with me to my first day of chemo!!!  What a great idea- thank you so much!  Loved seeing Stella and Nill at the game today- it was so nice seeing you again!