My SASSY new hair!



So since I had a gift card, Teresa took me down to one of the local beauty supply stores and helped me pick out some new hair.  I got two new hair pieces and I think the one I'm wearing in this picture is my favorite of the two.  Since it's shorter and made a little differently, I don't get as hot wearing it.  You can't tell alot from the pictures, but it's got a darker tone underneath the blonde in the back so I've been calling it my "Sassy Hair".  You can't really tell (even in person) since I have blonde hair, but officially have no eyelashes and my eyebrows are almost a distant memory.  I still have enough eyebrow hairs that I can tell where to use the eyebrow pencil to fill in.  We've found it quite entertaining since it never really crossed our minds that it would happen...but guess what other hair I lost....my nose hairs! LOL!  Who thinks about their nose hairs...I never did until my nose was running like a horse and it struck me...I wonder if I still have nose hairs?  So there I was at a stop light on campus looking up my nose in the rear view mirror...

Anyway, I'm up and running again from Chemo 7.  I only have ONE MORE LEFT!  When you compare the side effects of the different kinds of chemo medication I've taken...this one isn't necessarily "easier"...it's just different.  It's easier in the fact that I'm not as weak.  I don't wonder if my legs are going to buckle when I walk from the bed to the kitchen.  That is really nice!  On the other hand, the side effects last almost the whole two weeks with this kind....I'm severely achy in my muscles and bones so I have to take pain medicine and can't drive myself anywhere.  My nail beds are dying, so my fingers hurt and I get mouth sores on my tongue now instead of my gums or cheeks.  So there are pros and cons, but I am definitely able to function better and am only really stuck in the bed for 3 or 4 days instead of 6 or 7 and I like that!  I'm looking forward to moving past the chemotherapy stage of treatment.  Next will be surgery.  I'm a little anxious...not so much about the actually surgery, but about the results of the surgery.  Just like the hair, it's easy to think..."What a small price to pay to get to continue living"...and "it's only temporary, you'll have reconstruction surgery", but for almost an entire year, I will live my life without breasts.  It's scary to be different.  I know in my heart that I am strong and that I have the strength of the Lord to support me emotionally, but I don't kid myself into thinking that this is going to be an easy transition.  You don't know what you can handle until it's staring you straight into the face and you have no choice.  I thank God daily for the many people who go out of their way to encourage me!  If I don't thank you individually, please forgive me and know that I am truly grateful for the support that is surrounding me!