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For Life

22 Nov

Pink Ink…

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you are all enjoying your day!  Remember, the holidays are no excuse to ignore your health!  Enjoy the turkey, stuffing, pies etc.  But do so in moderation! Remember, a serving of meat should be no bigger than your fist!  Instead of rushing to the mall, how about walking outside with your family?  When reflecting on all the things you have to be thankful for, consider this:

Be thankful that YOU are control of your HEART health!

Be heart smart!

Be thankful that YOU can control your risk factors:

  • Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol! This is a must during the holiday season!

Be thankful that you CAN exercise!

  • Get off the couch. Do some pushups or jumping jacks during half time! Walk around the block.

Be thankful you KNOW not to smoke!

Be thankful that YOU are in control of your BREAST health! You have the knowledge and ability to be proactive!

Be thankful you know the recipe for breast health.

  • If over 40, an annual mammo.
  • 12 Self Breast Exams.
  • Annual Clinical Breast Exam.

Be thankful that you have access to your breasts everyday.  That means YOU have the ability to know what is NORMAL for YOUR breasts!

Whatever you choose to be thankful for today, remember that you must also be thankful…for life!

Be breast smart!

 

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Enjoy! … the PinkWellChick holiday survival guide (read early and often!)

21 Nov

Pink Ink…

I’m back…

Celebrate

It seems like it was just yesterday that I was finishing up 31 days of pink!  But here we are, prepping for Thanksgiving!  For so many, it ‘s a time for family and friends to gather, give thanks, and reflect on the past year.  But what happens if you are dealing with cancer or recovering from a stroke, heart attack, or frankly, a “life issue”?  The holidays can seem overwhelming.  This I know is true, as last year, I was right in the middle of chemo.  That meant I was nauseous.  That meant that the SMELLS from Thanksgiving food made me even more nauseous.  That meant I couldn’t hug people, due to my compromised immune system.  That meant I was tired. Yet, I had family who wanted to visit.  Frankly, we needed the help.  What I learned from that experience was the “patient” can do a few things to make it a more pleasant experience.  There is no reason not to partake in Holiday Happiness.

Tips for surviving the Holidays: Continue reading →

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What did YOU do?

1 Nov

Pink Ink…

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is officially over!  What did you do?  Did you wear pink? Did you walk a Race? Buy a product? Get a mammogram? Nothing?  One of the things I did was  PinkItOut for 31 days! Yes, I wore PINK for 31 days!

Some people said, “We get it. You had breast cancer. “ Others said “Oh, that’s cute.”  But no one asked me “Why?” 

Yes, I am a Survivor and yes, pink can be cute.  But that’s not why I did it.  This past February, Star Jones inspired me.  You see, she wore red for a month as a way to promote heart health after she had heart surgery.  “I learned late in life that my heart health is my greatest asset.”  She said when asked why it was important to her.  Each day that she wore red, it prompted someone to ask her about it, or comment on it.  She used her celebrity for good!  As an American Heart Association Ambassador, I knew about National Wear Red Day.  But I loved that her simple act of wearing red created dialog!

Could I do the same thing?  Given that none of my friends asked me why I was rocking pink for a month, one could argue that I was not effective.  After all, I am no celebrity. My friends checked Instagram just to see if I could keep it up.  Again, they thought, “Ok, we get it! You have breast cancer! “  But even if no one “got it”, I “got it”.  I know breast health is a lifestyle, not just a month.  Choosing something pink EVERY DAY, forced me to take action.  The small action of choosing something pink, led me to think about breast health and awareness the moment I got up!  The small step of choosing pink motivated me each and every day to think, talk, tweet, and write about breast health. (For all 31 days, check out “pinkwellchick” on Instagram)

Am I glad I am done wearing pink for a few days? Yes!  But I am even stronger in my belief that breast health is more than a month.  It is a…lifestyle!




What did YOU do?

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Scary! Boo!

31 Oct

Pink Ink…

Happy Halloween!  As the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I would give you a few bonus Chemo Beauty Tips!

It’s all about the head!

That’s right! THE HEAD!  What do people think about when you mention chemo?  First, the nausea.  Then, the hair falling out!  Everyone has their own take on what to do when the hair begins to fall out.  Whether you decide to wear a wig, turban, scarves or go bald there are some things you should know.  But first, the basics.

What to expect:

Any doctor will give you the disclaimer:
“ Your hair may not fall out.”

I have yet to meet the breast cancer patient whose hair hasn’t fallen out, so we will move on.  If you are like most of us, the hair will start to thin after the 2nd treatment, and completely fall out by the 3rd.

Tip: Go wig shopping BEFORE your hair falls out!

This allows the wig fitter to see what you look like with hair.  This is helpful especially if you want a wig to match your real hair.  But don’t be afraid to use this time to sample new hair lengths, and colors!  Take a friend with you, and have fun trying new looks! Take pictures!  PS: Don’t forget a wig cap!

Bonus tip: Take your wig to your stylist.

Don’t you hate to see wigs…that are clearly wigs!  Don’t be that gal!  Ask your stylist to trim your wig or put in some highlights! It makes a difference!

Tip: Take control of the balding:

Off with the hair!

When I started to see me hair really thin out, I decided to be in control of my situation.  My family and I had a shaving party…on Halloween!  If you think you are going to be emotional over losing your hair, shave it before you wake up and find it on your pillow! Watching my hair swirl down the shower drain was much more stressful than shaving it off! Once it’s off, don’t forget to moisturize the scalp…EVERYDAY!

Bonus tip: Use conditioner on your scalp when you shower!  Also Moroccan Oil is a great product to keep your head moist and with a very light sheen.  Nothing is worse than an itchy scalp.

Tip: Have fun!

That may sound crazy.  But if you are going through chemo, you are going to be bald for a while.  Why not switch it up?

  • Rock the Baldy.  It may sound daunting.  But after the 1stfew days, you forget that you don’t have hair!  It is a great feeling to get in the shower and have the water roll off your head.  BUT if you decide to rock a baldy, don’t forget your face! (See previous post!) Also, don’t be afraid to dust some bronzer on your head!  Then wear your baldy with pride!  Don’t use the excuse “I don’t have the head for it.”  As hard as it may be, celebrate the fact that you are still alive and kicking cancer’s butt!

    Bald & Beautiful

  • Scarves are a good alternative to wigs! They come in all shapes and sizes.  You can wear them like bandanas, turbans, or JLo style!!  Throw on some big earrings and BAM! It takes some practice. Check out YouTube or practice in the mirror.

    Wrap it up!

  • Hats!  Again, don’t be afraid to switch it up!  Don’t feel like putting the wig back on to go to the grocery store.  Grab a hat!  Add earrings, some lip-gloss, and go!

    Wig it out!

Hope you enjoyed this Halloween treat!  Remember, being bald doesn’t have to be…scary! Boo!

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Essentials

25 Oct

Pink Ink…

Day 3 of Chemo Beauty Week!

So we know to hydrate inside and out.  We know that you can still have fab nails.  How about make up?  As chemo starts to affect the body you may see some changes in the texture of your skin.  I developed dark circles under my eyes, and lost my eyebrows and eyelashes.  Before Chemo, I wasn’t a “full face” kind of gal.  But I soon realized that this was not the time to go without make up or skin care.  So to avoid looking like an alien, I put together my make up first aid kit.

Tip #3: Don’t forget the face essentials!

Below are MY face essentials.  Use what feels right to you!  But remember, every gal benefits from some concealer, bronzer and lip-gloss!

My face essentials!

  • Oil of Olay Complete: This is a great moisturizer that also has SPF in it, to protect the skin.
  • Fiberwig Massacre:  My eyelashes didn’t fall out immediately.  I put a very light coat of massacre on when they started to thin.  Be careful when washing the face, so you don’t inadvertently pull them out!   (Available at Sephora or Ricky’s)
  • Stencils by Anastasia: RUN to get these stencils even if you aren’t going through chemo!  The pack comes with several sizes and shapes.  They are easy to use and don’t give that “drawn on” look.  I now use one of the shapes for my real brows!
  • Baby Tip: Use a pencil to draw them on in SHORT strokes.  Then blend in powder after you get the shape.  The pencil helps it look natural.
  • MAC Prep & Primer:  Use this after your moisturizer and before your blush/bronzer. It helps set your make up and extends the wear.
  • MAC Bronzer: For that all over glow.
  • MAC Lip Glass:  I kept a Lip Glass or Lustreglass with me at all times. There are too many shades to count.  It doesn’t wear off and adds a light sheen.
  • Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener: A must for ANY gal!  No better product to cover those under eye circles.

So there you have it!  These products will work if you are going through chemo or not.

Remember, every girl needs her…essentials!

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