Breast cancer and chemotherapy wreak havoc on a person’s skin and I am (of course) no exception. However, I have found a skin care Silver Lining in Melanie Simon, a licensed esthetician and owner of A Beautiful You in Santa Barbara. Her goal is to provide effective, multi-purpose, cutting-edge skincare products that are free of harmful elements.
Chemotherapy
Finally Five!
The day has finally arrived! Our daughter, who has been 4 3/4 since the Brookside Buzz began, is FINALLY FIVE! From this point forward (until the next 1/4 mile marker), I will refer to her as “Finally Five”. We have started a new tradition with Finally Five: the night before her birthday, we put a… Continue reading Finally Five!
Complementary Therapies During Chemotherapy
Complementary Therapies During Chemotherapy Two days out from round two of intravenous TAC (Taxotere, Adriamycin, Cyclophosphamide) Chemotherapy. And I have a cold. OY. I sure could use just a little break. Even a teeny tiny one. I know that Silver Linings are lurking. Come on out, wherever you are! Oh, here’s one: I’m officially 1/3… Continue reading Complementary Therapies During Chemotherapy
A Very (Un)Hairy Situation: Losing Hair After Chemo
Losing Hair After Chemo Because I seem to be the poster child for chemo side effects (i.e., ALL of them), it didn’t come as a complete shock to me that hair loss was next on the list. The second (or maybe the third or fourth) shoe has dropped… For the past 3+ years, I have… Continue reading A Very (Un)Hairy Situation: Losing Hair After Chemo
Mouth Mishegoss
Next up: Mucositis, a/k/a Mouth F-bomb Sores. I’m not kidding. I wish I were, but I’m not. Three months ago, even if I had tried really, really hard, I couldn’t have made up all of this S**T (pun intended and unintended). In case you are unfamiliar (why on earth WOULD you be familiar?), let me… Continue reading Mouth Mishegoss
Brookside Scheduling and Testing
Many people have asked questions about the timing of my chemo schedule and testing (thanks for caring and being interested!). So, I thought I’d lay it out for you to show you exactly what the plan is. May I diverge for a minute? Speaking of schedules (and schedule-keeping), I have to confess that the last… Continue reading Brookside Scheduling and Testing
Chemotherapy 1st Cycle, Almost
This morning, I was the first patient this morning at the Santa Barbara Cancer Center. Bright and early. I was nervous, really, really nervous. At the reception desk, I was given a pink questionnaire (at least it’s my favorite color!) asking me about any symptoms I am currently experiencing. Apparently I will have to do this… Continue reading Chemotherapy 1st Cycle, Almost
Chemotherapy and its Side Effects
Tomorrow is the first day of chemotherapy. WTF? Did I really just write that? Really? Seems so surreal. Two messages from friends keep going through my mind: We. Can. Do. This. All you have to do is B R E A T H E. I’ll take the liberty (because I can) of adding: Focus on… Continue reading Chemotherapy and its Side Effects
Pre-Chemotherapy Testing
Chemotherapy begins on Monday, the 27th. 3 days. FFS (For F**k’s Sake). I’m feeling a little anxious. Scared, I’m not. I’m anxious about how my physical body is going to react to the medications. There are several things that I have done this week to prepare for my first dose of chemotherapy: #1. The first… Continue reading Pre-Chemotherapy Testing
Discussing Chemotherapy with Children
Once you move past the point of telling children about FBC, it is important to tell them that you are always available to talk about it with them: anytime, anywhere. A general rule of thumb is to let children initiate conversations; however a little prodding doesn’t hurt. For example, you could ask: “Have you been… Continue reading Discussing Chemotherapy with Children