Tag Archives: survivor stories

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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Everything is not ok

1 Oct

Pink Ink…

From Parenthood “Everything is not OK” (Season 4, ep 3) on NBC.

Cancer Gal: First, everybody you know in your whole life and then a bunch you don’t know are going to pay WAY too much attention to you.  And the phone’s going to ring so much ‘till you want to shoot yourself! And then, a little while after that, people, they go back to their own lives, their own problems.  That’s when you find out.  That’s when you find out who your real friends are.

Kristina: I haven’t really told any of my friends, my family doesn’t know.   It’s just Adam so far.

 

Today kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month!  When I was thinking about what to post today, the above scene came to mind.  In 1 minute, it teaches so much.  So instead of reminding you to wear pink, how about what 1-minute of TV reminded me?

  • Everyone diagnosed with breast cancer needs a Cancer Mentor.
    • Over the next few days, you will meet mine.  Every newly diagnosed person needs someone to tell him or her the cold, hard truth.  Cancer Gal definitely kept it 100% real!
  • People DO go back to their own lives.  The calls stop. People avoid asking how you are, or they ask, but don’t care for the answer.
    • To fellow Survivors, it is ok to mourn the loss of friends who stop calling, or don’t check in.  It has taken me almost a year to let those friends go.  But everyday, I say a prayer of thanks for “Team Pinkwellchick”.
    • To those friends or family of those in the Cancer Lane, my advice to you is to REMAIN PRESENT. If you can’t bring yourself to call, drop a note in the mail, or email or text. Thanks to my friend who sent me a card every 10 days for the past year. Just DO SOMETHING! It makes a difference.
  • We must share our stories.  I have learned it is not a sign of weakness to share my fear, or struggle with breast cancer.  I have learned that we must be open about our journey.
    • Survivors are often worried about “burdening” our loved ones. We must get over that.  Fighting Cancer requires a strong team! Fighting Cancer gives us a right to think about ourselves first!  Survivors, talk about what you are going through!  Some have been turned off by my honesty. Many more are thankful.   It is only through sharing our stories that we learn.
    • Friends and family, don’t be scared to ask questions.  Share your fears and struggles.  The story you share can help someone else.

 

I look forward to seeing what NBC and Parenthood have in store for us over the next season! Yes, this is an unpaid endorsement of a great show!

While sifting through all the “Pink” of the day, remember,

  • A woman is diagnosed every 69 seconds.
  • Over 40,000 American women lost their lives to breast cancer in 2011.

For those women and their families…everything is not ok.

 

 

 

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