Hair and Chemo

I had debated a little if I had wanted to post anything about hair loss and chemo. I hope maybe this post will help someone better understand how I am coping with it.

You should expect to start losing hair after your first chemo. It is just gonna happen but you may take a little longer to lose your hair or it may go quicker. Just be prepared that it will go. I think I understood this but once it started happening, it seemed more real.

My hair had been coming out a little since my surgery in January. A little after my first chemo treatment, I got out of the shower that morning and my hair started coming out in larger clumps. I did not have long hair but it was still a little crazy. I realized that I needed to cut it. I had a little mini melt down over it. Luckily, Husband was there to help and listen to me mumble on about it.

A local chain of salons was having a hair cut special. A little under $6.00 and you can get it cut. I went there and ended up finding a kind woman who was not shocked about why I was there for a hair cut. She made me feel like she had people come in every day and had the same problem. She even offered help should I buy a wig and need to style it or cut it. I do not think that she knew how much that meant to me. By her acting like this was completely normal calmed my nerves and made me feel better.

Since then, I have lost most of my hair. I have yet to try a wig. I have a brown hat my sister bought me that I completely love to wear. Plus there are some more accessories to try since Summer is coming and I do not think this hat will work in the hot weather.

So, I have lost hair in some other places as well. I cannot tell you this is the same for everyone but it is my normal for now. My eyebrows are evacuating and I have a few hairs left there. I am now that lady that is painting on her eyebrows. Since my hair was brown, I am trying to stick with a soft brown but you can tell they are drawn on. Luckily, no one stares at them like they look so out of place!

Also, I have not had to shave my legs and underarms. I wish that would great for always but we will see. My legs do feel a little prickly like I have not shaved in about two days but it has actually been about two months. I like this part!!

There may be other places that the hair will leave. I think it is just different for everyone. It is okay.

I think what helped me is being around others who had this happen to them. Other ladies at my doctor's office were hats or wigs also. I think that helped to see others who were confident in their new hats or head wear. Plus, the chemo nurses listened to me and knowing that they know about this and deal with it daily, I felt good about talking to them about it. It definitely helped me.

The only advice I can give to you is that to give it time. It is scary at first. Talking to others help. Also, having people who do not make a big deal of it is good too. If someone wants to cry on your shoulder about it, just listen to them. You may be tempted to tell them to not worry about it, it will grow back and things like that. Husband told me those things which did help me. Sometimes, a person just needs you to listen to them or just be there for them.

So, here is a picture of my hair when it first was starting to fall out. It is all good now. I do not mind now. It is my normal for now!!

Jenn

Smell Since Starting Chemo

Okay, so this is my personal experience with how my smell has changed some since I started chemo. If you or someone you know is or has gone through chemo, smell can be different for you or them. Just thought I would put it out there first and say that everyone is different. This is my experience.

So, since starting chemo my smell has changed a bit. Some smells are now stronger. I have never really liked the smell of seafood. Now, it is almost like I can smell seafood from a mile away!! (Not literally of course but it seems like that now.)

Sometimes I can smell perfume in a crowd where as before it really did not bother me. The perfume was not bad but I could just smell it more than before.

I have not had a lot of bad experiences with smell. I hope that I really do not that it does not get worse though. It makes me wonder if others have some smells get stronger or now smells bad where as it did not before.

Sometimes I do smell things where others may not smell it. That has been a little weird too. I will sometimes smell things, ask someone if they smell that smell and most of the time they do not.

I hope my smell goes back to my normal after chemo. I think that would be a real nice thing!!

Jenn