New Hair?

It has been six weeks since my last chemo treatment and I was in hopes that my hair would be growing by now.  Unfortunately, I have just a tiny bit of fuzz and absolutely no eyelashes.  I am so glad that my hairdresser suggested that I get permanent makeup before I lost my hairs.

  

When I got my permanent makeup my timing could not have been worse because I got an appointment the day before my first chemo treatment.  I had my eyebrows and eyeliner done which caused my eyes to puff up and crust over at the same time as my first and most difficult chemo treatment where I was totally sick to my stomach and unable to get off the couch.  I even had to drive back and forth to American Falls all by myself.  I have been to AF since with my sister and a good friend for their makeup but I always end up going by myself for my own makeup.  Oh well, the price we pay for beauty!

A couple of weeks ago I was getting ready for church and decided to try the artificial eyelashes that my niece Gina gave to me.  I went through three pair of eyelashes with no luck whatsoever.  How are you supposed to glue the eyelashes onto your eyes without gluing your eye lids together? I think that I require eyelashes that are stick on only.  I seemed to have full eyelashes up to about eight weeks ago but then they starting really thinning out.  The last time I used mascara I had no eyelashes on my right eye and four or five on my left eye.  I had trimmed the last couple of eyelashes so that they didn't stand out too much but it did look quite silly.  I have no eyelashes now so I am saving money on mascara and hair products.  I started using Lilash to help my eyelashes grow six weeks ago but no luck so far.  I'm  not giving up yet!!!!!!

Today I went to ISU cosmetology because they have free wigs for cancer patients.  I tried on about 10 wigs and came home with 2 new looks.  Here is a picture of Steph and myself on our way to lunch today.  We are both sporting new looks!

The Last Leg - Radiation

I started the third leg of my cancer triathlon on September 16th.  The treatment is 30 sessions or 6 weeks of treatments that are scheduled for Mondays through Fridays.  I am in the middle of my third week and doing well.  Almost everyone gets quite tired during the round of radiation treatments and needs a few weeks to fully recuperate after they are completed.  My doctor told me that I would be quite the anomaly if I don't get worn out by the treatments.  Rick and I plan to do a lot of my recuperation in Mexico where the weather will be warm and comfortable!

Radiation started with a ct scan so that the doctors could identify where the radiation paths needed to be.  A physicist actually puts the plan together based on the surgery or cancer locations and the location of your vital organs.  This is a pic of the Electa Infinity machine or the radiation room and equipment which cost 3.5 million!  The Infinity does the radiation treatments and takes X-rays as well. The techs take X-rays of my treatment areas each week for the doctors to analyze.

This is a pic of the form that is used for me to lie down on each treatment.  It helps to insure that my body is in the same position for each treatment.  It is not very comfortable even though it was a custom fit!

Skin irritations or burns are another side effect of radiation.  I use aloe vera gel a couple of times a day and so far no irritations.