I went topless

Giant Poodles
Giant Poodles Member Posts: 79
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Yesterday I went topless for the first time. I went to church, of course, everyone was extra nice. Saturday night I colored it twice, the first time the color was yuk. I was going to color the third time but was afraid it might fall out.
I teach 4th/5th grade at a classical school on Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays, so tomorrow will be the real test. I have already warned them, and some returning students knew I had cancer. I am a little scared about tomorrow, but it is time.
I also went to my onc today topless.
Rhonda

Comments

  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175
    Rhonda WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO
    Rhonda WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO ...GOING TOPLESS!!!!!
    Im glad it was a good experience for you cuz my first time out wasnt but after that it did get much better and wow you are brave to go infront of 4th & 5th graders...cuz they can be brutial. Hopefully they mind their P's and Q's cuz we all know you never know whats going to come out of there mouth good or bad...keepin my fingers crossed for ya! Keep us posted on how it goes!!
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    kids will surprise you
    I am a Speech language pathologist. The Summer I started chemo we had just instituted a controversial new dress code in the public school district I work in. I had permission from my Principal to wear hats (against dress code) and I expected a lot of questions from students. I really had very few comments. One girl (a very fashion-conscious 3d grade girl) asked me why certain hats did not match my outfits, but not why I wore hats. I had one big surprise from a 4th grade boy. I had worked with him for 3 years, and he was always surly, making it very clear that he did not like being in my class. I expected him to make a big deal of me breaking the dress code rules. Instead, he sat very quietly in class the first 2 sessions. The third, he very carefully asked if he could ask me a question. I said sure, expecting some rude remark. He did not ask why I was wearing a hat or why I wasn't following dress code. Instead he asked me if I had cancer. I was amazed by his intuitive words and concerned tone. I asked why he thought I might have cancer and he told me his cousin died of cancer the year before. We proceeded to have a very informative discussion about cancer, chemo, and its effect on family members....The rest of the year he was a perfect gentleman in my class. I was working in High school too at the time, and I expected them to make a big deal of me beinig out of dress code. They did ask why I was wearing hats, but I just said I had cancer and was taking chemo which made my hair fall out, and Had permission from the principal to wear hats. I got mixed reactions from them. One said maybe he should do chemo so he could wear hats too...we both laughed at the joke. One had the usual questions like what was cancer like, how did I get it, what was chemo like, was it contageous...but most of them were satisfied with the first explanation. It really was not aa big deal.

    I say all this to say that I think if you are frank and open with your students, they will surprise you. Be willing to be open and I think you have nothing to fear from them.

    Have a great year!
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    Good for you!
    Looking back, I should've done that! Kudos to all who do!

    Blessings,

    Sylvia
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    jo jo said:

    Rhonda WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO
    Rhonda WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO ...GOING TOPLESS!!!!!
    Im glad it was a good experience for you cuz my first time out wasnt but after that it did get much better and wow you are brave to go infront of 4th & 5th graders...cuz they can be brutial. Hopefully they mind their P's and Q's cuz we all know you never know whats going to come out of there mouth good or bad...keepin my fingers crossed for ya! Keep us posted on how it goes!!

    Big congrats Rhonda on going
    Big congrats Rhonda on going topless!


    Lex♥
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    sea60 said:

    Good for you!
    Looking back, I should've done that! Kudos to all who do!

    Blessings,

    Sylvia

    I think you just know when
    I think you just know when its time congrats!!! doesnt it feel good?
  • aysemari
    aysemari Member Posts: 1,596 Member
    Rhonda
    I think honesty goes a long way and your students will appreciate that
    you let them know. It will be interesting to hear back from you and see
    how they reacted.

    Coloring hair after chemo, seems to be tricky, my hair simply didn't take
    it I tried henna and then permanent hair color the second time around.
    Sheesh... we need a new line of hair color for all the chemo babes.

    Don't you love to be topless?

    Ayse
  • beetle25
    beetle25 Member Posts: 150 Member
    aysemari said:

    Rhonda
    I think honesty goes a long way and your students will appreciate that
    you let them know. It will be interesting to hear back from you and see
    how they reacted.

    Coloring hair after chemo, seems to be tricky, my hair simply didn't take
    it I tried henna and then permanent hair color the second time around.
    Sheesh... we need a new line of hair color for all the chemo babes.

    Don't you love to be topless?

    Ayse

    Don't you just love being
    Don't you just love being topless? I went topless first at the college where I work and then gradually other places also. Alot of times before I decided to completely take off the hats and scarfs I would go out to walk or jog in the morning and would forget to put on my hat and would turn around to get it. Now it just doesnt matter. I then went to the mall, and most recently to church without any headcovering. The women in my life group were so wonderful and made such a big deal about how nice my hair looked and that the white looks so good on me. (did ask my onco why he couldnt put a different hair dye in with all the chemicals he put through my body - he just looked at me and laughed)

    Congrats for going topless it is such a great feeling.
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    Yay Rhonda!
    Good for you. Let us know how you made out in school.
  • Go Poodles
    Going topless is definitely a time of freedom especially of you live somewhere like San Antonio :).. It can be a little weird and you get those extra looks and smiles..but for the most part people try not to look. The children are wonderful. I may have gotten a couple questions but the children are definitely better than the adults.. So 'Go Ms Lady' and I'll send you some of my special topless energy sparks. It will have that head glowing all day..lol
  • mrs gadget
    mrs gadget Member Posts: 118
    I'm a substitute teacher and
    I'm a substitute teacher and have found that my wig only irritates those lovely chemo-induced breakouts...So...I wear hats and have found that the kids really ask very few questions and are just happy to have you there. I did have a thrid grader ask if I had cancer because his Aunt was going thru it so he knew what it meant to be bald. I found that to be pretty insightful.

    Anyhow, I am finding that the longer I am bald, the less I worry about going out without a hat and have done it quite a few times lately...
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member

    I'm a substitute teacher and
    I'm a substitute teacher and have found that my wig only irritates those lovely chemo-induced breakouts...So...I wear hats and have found that the kids really ask very few questions and are just happy to have you there. I did have a thrid grader ask if I had cancer because his Aunt was going thru it so he knew what it meant to be bald. I found that to be pretty insightful.

    Anyhow, I am finding that the longer I am bald, the less I worry about going out without a hat and have done it quite a few times lately...

    Freedom .. is all I can say .. When I started to sport my new
    topless look .. It was my why of DARING the world to look and ask -- "I am fighting breast cancer' ask how you can help ACS .. telephone # was the motto on my pink shirt, I wore to the grocery store, target etc .. and my reply.

    Down side, I did have many of folks stop and talk about someone they knew or related to that suffered, fought and died. Occasional, a survival story! So I stopped wearing my Warrior - Sisters in PINK shirt and went along with my business.

    We are fighting a serious health WAR - Bald is our badge of HONOR, HOPE is our weapon of choice and Life is our ultimate GOAL.

    No go out and take on the DAY!

    Strength and Courage:

    Vicki Sam
  • Giant Poodles
    Giant Poodles Member Posts: 79
    VickiSam said:

    Freedom .. is all I can say .. When I started to sport my new
    topless look .. It was my why of DARING the world to look and ask -- "I am fighting breast cancer' ask how you can help ACS .. telephone # was the motto on my pink shirt, I wore to the grocery store, target etc .. and my reply.

    Down side, I did have many of folks stop and talk about someone they knew or related to that suffered, fought and died. Occasional, a survival story! So I stopped wearing my Warrior - Sisters in PINK shirt and went along with my business.

    We are fighting a serious health WAR - Bald is our badge of HONOR, HOPE is our weapon of choice and Life is our ultimate GOAL.

    No go out and take on the DAY!

    Strength and Courage:

    Vicki Sam

    Thank you
    Thank you for your words. I went to school on Tuesday and the kids were great. One little boy said I had the second shortest hair in the class and should be proud. Another little girl said you are pretty with or without hair. Everyone was great and it is so freeing being without any head covering. Thanks for the head sparks!
    Much Love,
    Rhonda
  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    Good for you Rhonda! I went
    Good for you Rhonda! I went topless today too - but it really doesn't count because it was at my chemo treatment, although I was the only woman in there without something covering her head. I was just feeling like crap & hot & my bandana was itchy, so i took it off to be more comfortable. And I was :)
    *hugs*
    Heather
  • Giant Poodles
    Giant Poodles Member Posts: 79

    Good for you Rhonda! I went
    Good for you Rhonda! I went topless today too - but it really doesn't count because it was at my chemo treatment, although I was the only woman in there without something covering her head. I was just feeling like crap & hot & my bandana was itchy, so i took it off to be more comfortable. And I was :)
    *hugs*
    Heather

    I had rather be comfortable
    I had rather be comfortable during chemo, so it does count. I love your mohawk! I hope your treatment went well, it doesn't last forever. We are expecting cooler weather the first of next week, here in Georgia. Just lay around and rest if you can.
    Rhonda
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member

    I had rather be comfortable
    I had rather be comfortable during chemo, so it does count. I love your mohawk! I hope your treatment went well, it doesn't last forever. We are expecting cooler weather the first of next week, here in Georgia. Just lay around and rest if you can.
    Rhonda

    I had my second haircut
    I had my second haircut yesterday, or rather trim and shaping, also got blonde highlights which I so badly wanted. I was blondish and had straight hair, now it is curly and dark. While I dont like myself in short hair, it looks ok, You guys will get there probably quicker than I did as I have pretty slow growing hair. Be proud of yourself, its not easy to be topless but you did it.
  • MerleBee
    MerleBee Member Posts: 49
    Funny
    My best friend (and now a nearly 20 year survivor) had breast cancer in 1991. She taught at the pre-school where my oldest son attended during that time. One day on our way home from school, I asked him what he had learned. He told me he learned about the letter B. He then preceded to tell me all of the things that started with the letter "B"...ball, bat, butterfly and....drumroll....BALD! I looked at him and said "Bald?" and he replied, "Miss Donna told us that Bald started with the letter "B" and showed us her head." Donna and I still laugh about this today! But the beautiful thing is that my son, now 23 years old, stood next to me when my hair was falling out in the bathroom sink and said "Bald starts with the letter "B" and so does "Beautiful".

    I just love that boy!

    Merle
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    carkris said:

    I think you just know when
    I think you just know when its time congrats!!! doesnt it feel good?

    Congrats Rhonda on going
    Congrats Rhonda on going topless! You are a true warrior!
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member

    Thank you
    Thank you for your words. I went to school on Tuesday and the kids were great. One little boy said I had the second shortest hair in the class and should be proud. Another little girl said you are pretty with or without hair. Everyone was great and it is so freeing being without any head covering. Thanks for the head sparks!
    Much Love,
    Rhonda

    WTG Rhonda! I bet you
    WTG Rhonda! I bet you looked beautiful!


    Hugs, Jan
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000
    beetle25 said:

    Don't you just love being
    Don't you just love being topless? I went topless first at the college where I work and then gradually other places also. Alot of times before I decided to completely take off the hats and scarfs I would go out to walk or jog in the morning and would forget to put on my hat and would turn around to get it. Now it just doesnt matter. I then went to the mall, and most recently to church without any headcovering. The women in my life group were so wonderful and made such a big deal about how nice my hair looked and that the white looks so good on me. (did ask my onco why he couldnt put a different hair dye in with all the chemicals he put through my body - he just looked at me and laughed)

    Congrats for going topless it is such a great feeling.

    I have to add my WOO HOO for
    I have to add my WOO HOO for being topless! Congrats sister in pink!


    Hugs, Megan
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    MerleBee said:

    Funny
    My best friend (and now a nearly 20 year survivor) had breast cancer in 1991. She taught at the pre-school where my oldest son attended during that time. One day on our way home from school, I asked him what he had learned. He told me he learned about the letter B. He then preceded to tell me all of the things that started with the letter "B"...ball, bat, butterfly and....drumroll....BALD! I looked at him and said "Bald?" and he replied, "Miss Donna told us that Bald started with the letter "B" and showed us her head." Donna and I still laugh about this today! But the beautiful thing is that my son, now 23 years old, stood next to me when my hair was falling out in the bathroom sink and said "Bald starts with the letter "B" and so does "Beautiful".

    I just love that boy!

    Merle

    merle he is a keeper! what a
    merle he is a keeper! what a love!!!