Hair loss

Piccolo
Piccolo Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi, my mom was diagnosed with fallopian cancer about 6 weeks ago but because it is so rare, they are treating it like ovarian cancer. She had her first chemo treatment last Monday -- first three days she did fabulously but has been feeling not so great since. The results from the blood test today are good. But, she's about to lose her hair. I'm going with her to get her hair cut very short tomorrow and am wondering if any of you can tell me things that were said to you that you really appreciated, or found funny. (Thankfully, my mom still has her sense of humor!)

Comments

  • MiraT
    MiraT Member Posts: 15
    #2
    Hi Piccolo -

    I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's diagnosis. My dad has been bald for as long as I can remember, and he has this list of reasons why it's great to be bald. My favorite one is that if you ever get into trouble with the law, you can hide out in the melon section of the grocery store, lol. I'm glad to hear the blood counts look good, and I hope your mom has a relatively easy time loosing her hair - it's pretty traumatic, but she's lucky to have you to help her through it.
    ~ Mira
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Piccolo
    Piccolo Member Posts: 2
    #4
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thank you both for your help. We got her hair cut really short which went well, actually. Starting today we're expecting her to lose some hair. But she has a ton of both practical and silly hats so I'm hoping they help...
  • juneaugirl
    juneaugirl Member Posts: 12
    #5
    Hope your Mom's treatments are going well. I finished chemo for ovarian a year ago. When my hair started to fall out I went to the barber shop (yes, the barber, it was cheaper than the beauty salon) and just got it buzzed. Oddly enough I felt this strange euphoria when it was done. I finally figured out that it was the first thing that I had been able to have absolute control of in awhile. I just decided to go bald all at one time with the buzz instead of by inches with it falling out. Besides, it was really gross falling out because it was nearly down to my waist. Ironicaly enough I decided not to wear a scarf or "chemo hat" because I felt and looked more like a cancer patient with one. The buzz just made me look like a woman with a stupid haircut. Besides, everyone said I looked 10 years younger buzzed. I did wear wigs when I was a work (secretary for a bank VP) but not other than that. Since everyone knew I was doing chemo, I decided to have fun and had several colors/styles. My favorite was a red bob that my husband hated. Which made it even more fun to wear. I would really encourage your mom to get connected with the Look Good Feel Better program. They have wonderful advice and you really do feel better when you look good. The thing I got the biggest kick out of was one day at work I was talking to a co-worker saying how I felt I looked "fake" in the wig I was wearing even though everyone said they liked it. About that time a woman approached my desk and said that she had an unusual question for me. She was new in town and wanted to know where I had my hair done because it looked so good that she would like to go to the same hairdresser...... The poor woman couldn't figure out what she said that was so funny. Anyway, I hated not having eyebrows and eyelashes far more than not having hair. One tends to look so erased without the definition around the eyes. That's where Look Good Feel Better comes in. Sorry to be so verbose but I pray all the best for you and your mom.
  • KarinBarrett
    KarinBarrett Member Posts: 2
    #6
    juneaugirl said:

    Hope your Mom's treatments are going well. I finished chemo for ovarian a year ago. When my hair started to fall out I went to the barber shop (yes, the barber, it was cheaper than the beauty salon) and just got it buzzed. Oddly enough I felt this strange euphoria when it was done. I finally figured out that it was the first thing that I had been able to have absolute control of in awhile. I just decided to go bald all at one time with the buzz instead of by inches with it falling out. Besides, it was really gross falling out because it was nearly down to my waist. Ironicaly enough I decided not to wear a scarf or "chemo hat" because I felt and looked more like a cancer patient with one. The buzz just made me look like a woman with a stupid haircut. Besides, everyone said I looked 10 years younger buzzed. I did wear wigs when I was a work (secretary for a bank VP) but not other than that. Since everyone knew I was doing chemo, I decided to have fun and had several colors/styles. My favorite was a red bob that my husband hated. Which made it even more fun to wear. I would really encourage your mom to get connected with the Look Good Feel Better program. They have wonderful advice and you really do feel better when you look good. The thing I got the biggest kick out of was one day at work I was talking to a co-worker saying how I felt I looked "fake" in the wig I was wearing even though everyone said they liked it. About that time a woman approached my desk and said that she had an unusual question for me. She was new in town and wanted to know where I had my hair done because it looked so good that she would like to go to the same hairdresser...... The poor woman couldn't figure out what she said that was so funny. Anyway, I hated not having eyebrows and eyelashes far more than not having hair. One tends to look so erased without the definition around the eyes. That's where Look Good Feel Better comes in. Sorry to be so verbose but I pray all the best for you and your mom.

    I did basically the same this\ng got mine cut to a buzz. I have actually been on disability so I havent had to go to work. I do have several wigs but have onky worn them about 4 or 5 times since I started chemo in December 2004. Most of the time i wore what few hairs i had or a scarf or hat. I mean folks I knew, knew i was going through chemo and those who didnt would guess it. Was I supoose to be ashamed that I was sick??? I agree that the loss of most of my eyelashes and eyebrows was worse then my hair. So I draw in eyebrows and put on eyeliner and I look a lot more like the "old" me.

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