Mike and Melissa think my hair is starting to grow in a little (but it's such a tiny amount I can't tell) and that's great. However, my eyelashes and eyebrows decided to fall out now! I thought I managed to make it without losing them and I was so proud that they hung in there through all of my treatments, but they tricked me and fell out after I was done. I can count about three eyelashes on my left eye and maybe five eyelashes on my right. I was trying to make my eyes look better with mascara, but I've given up trying now. I've gotten pretty good at drawing in my eyebrows. Jeff says I should have fun with it and maybe draw one eyebrow up or something to look surprised. I was thinking I could draw both eyebrows in so I look shocked. That could be fun!
I've noticed a couple of other things that are just annoying: my calves are really tight and my ankles have swollen. I saw the doctor about my ankles and she thinks they might have swollen because I'm not used to sitting at a desk for 8 hours anymore and I haven't worn "work" shoes in quite a while. My ankles don't hurt, but they are quite large right now. My calves actually hurt and I'm having trouble walking. I think I just need to keep stretching and get a massage and the pain will go away. I lost a lot of muscle mass over the course of my treatment, so that's most likely the reason why my calves are so tight. I have started to work out with my trainer twice a week. I'm painfully slow and my balance is bad, but my abs are strong! I can see a little improvement in my arms and back because I've added about five pounds in weights in the past month. My recovery is going to be a long and slow process, and I've heard from various sources it can take up to a year to get back to "normal." I'll keep plugging away and working out because my goal is to play volleyball in my league next spring.
We're going away this weekend to our friend's parent's lake house down in Southern Virginia and I can't wait. We are bringing our boat and I'm going to see if I can water ski. I've never managed to actually get up on skis before, but I want to try again. I know my body may not cooperate, but I really have nothing to lose (except maybe a fingernail or two - they're all falling out now too) so I might as well try. Last summer, I tried for over an hour to get up on the darn skis, but my legs kept trying to go in two different directions. I'm eager to get back into life. If I can't do it, I'll swim or watch Mike water ski. I'm going to relax and have as much fun as possible.
6 comments:
You know Oprah swears by the drugstore brand false eyelashes. She has no natural eyelashes at all. And if you get really good at drawing them in, this could be the opportunity to try different shapes in eyebrows. I like Reese Witherspoon's. Just pencil them in. And if it doesn't work, you can be Angelina tomorrow.
Have fun out on the water!
Julie B.
hey angela,
I lost mine after chemo too. Dirty trick right? I thought what next? But the good news is they grow faster than your hair. I never got the drawing eye brow thing so I just endured the comments like "you look different" Glad to hear that you are doing well. The edema is another dirty trick too. Chemo gets the tumors but also effects your heart. I took dieretics PRN and potassium for the swelling and I am seeing a acupuncturist. It is working. No diuretics in 2 months. I do have some dorsal foot pain but he is working on that as well. Hope everything continues to go well. I think about you often. I used your blogging as an example for one of my patients who was tired of "telling the same old story" he just may do that so thank you.
kim
They shaved off the eyelashes on one of my eyes for the surgery years ago--they grew back pretty quickly (though, of course, I looked so bad at that point that a few missing lashes were the least of my worries).
It just occurred to me--what if they shave off the damn lashes again for the surgery Thursday????? No no no !!!!
Sorry. Just whining. :) If it comes to it, I may just try the fake ones!
I say-go creative--blue eyebrows. Purple eyebrows. What is the point of having cancer if you cannot have some fun with it?
Gila
My vote is to draw the eyebrows every morning with a thick line of grease paint. Then you can tell people that you're Groucho's granddaughter. If you're feeling silly one day, you can even add in the mustache and (of course) a cigar.
Alternatively, you could always get the Groucho glasses with the big bushy eyebrows and mustache (they should be available in the Halloween stores). Probably best to talk that one over with Mike though in case it tickles.
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