On June 3rd I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Four days after undergoing a bilateral mastectomy on June 11th, I was told that I would need both chemotherapy and radiation due to the aggressive cancer cells that were found in the tissue.. When the oncologist broke the news that the cancer had spread beyond the ducts, my hair was the first thing I thought to ask about. She told me that she was pretty sure that I would lose it, but I wasn't ready to believe her.
The bottom line was that though my tumors were small,I had DCIS with a metastatic invasion in a lymph node in the breast tissue. The classification was Stage IIb and grade 3, meaning it was very aggressive calling for aggressive treatment, and no matter how many second, third and fourth opinions I may get, chemo and radiation were going to be part of the prescription.
When the morphine fog from the surgery had lifted, I went to the infusion center for "chemo class". After hearing about all the terrible things that chemotherapy could cause, I asked the looming question: "Does everyone lose their hair?" I should stop and say that I somehow I had faith that I wasn't going to die from breast cancer, so whether or not I was going to lose my hair was the next "logical question" Angela informed me that in 20 years as an oncology nurse she had never seen someone receiving either of the treatments who didn't.
My chemotherapy started less than a week later.
I decided to have a professional photographer take pictures of me bald so I could remember this challenging time and the inner strength I was able to draw upon in hopes that others could be inspired in facing their own challenges.
Los Angeles, CA
