Hair Loss!

Last week I accompanied my friend to the "Hair Solved Clinic". My friend was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 months ago and has undergone chemotherapy and is doing well.  A consequence of the treatment is hair loss.  Her hair was quite thin before her illness.  At the age of 18 she noticed her hair was thinning and this continued until it reached a stable state. However after the chemo her hair grew back much coarser yet thin and grey.  She is now considering options and she saw an advert......

http://hair-solved.com

this company was featured on the TV programme "Embarrassing Bodies" as it is something that most of us would find difficult to talk about...

We had a consultation which was over an hour long.  We were given a thorough explanation on "weaving". They gave a comprehensive explanation of the pros and cons of pursuing this form of enhancement. It was truly amazing although not cheap provided a more acceptable alternative to a wig.  However each to their own. My friend is still considering this commitment - what is really reassuring judging from people in the  waiting room that people with this condition are really not on their own and you can talk about it and arrive at a solution which works for you.

Breast Aware - Macmillan Fund Raising

There is so much tragedy in the world and increasingly so. Everyday we are made aware of atrocities in the news which seem to have increased in brutality. We should all be thankful for what we have - our daily moans pale into insignificance when compared with the hardships of others.

Closer to home you are never sure when something will come out of the blue and dramatically affect your way of life and your priorities. Our nearest and dearest sometimes have to fight battles they would never have imagined.

My friend Nilum discovered she had breast cancer about 18 months ago.  She is thankful that she has come through her round of chemotherapy and is optimistic about the future.  Part of her treatment involved a kind of therapy where she attended a centre which provided activities designed to promote well being - these included art classes, reflexology, counselling and so on.

As  way of thank you she organised a fund raising lunch last Saturday and from this was able to give a donation of over £400! It was a really fun occasion where people shared their experiences and compared notes.  What became clear is that we all have a responsibility whatever our ages to take care of ourselves and to be vigilant in maintaining our health as much as we can.

Lots of good works are conducted everyday by dedicated people - if you want to get involved in fund raising for something which may already be personal to you - you will find more information on this website

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx

Friendship Matters…..

Last week I had lunch with two of my closest friends. Something we don't do as often as we would like but somehow the time in between doesn't diminish the bond. Our friendship stretches back over 25 years.  We originally worked together and then over time we took different paths but somehow we managed to keep up regular contact. Every meeting is as if we had never been apart - the humour, the repartee and the anecdotes.  We have such a richness of shared history that we draw comfort from each other during the challenging times and we also celebrate the good ones.

Jayne, in the middle,  celebrated her 50th birthday at Christmas which makes her the baby of our trio.  We gave her some flowers and so she wanted to record the occasion - hence the photo.  Can't believe how time has passed and that she has now reached this landmark!

There was also another cause for celebration as Nilum on the left has finished her treatment. She was diagnosed with breast cancer about the this time last year.  Since then she has had an op, chemo and radiotherapy. She has always been quite inspirational and practical.  

Family is important but also our friends.  In our busy lives we seldom have time to cover the ground but recent events have brought into sharp relief what is important.

So we look forward to many more lunches and discussions comfortable in the knowledge that whatever the topic we feel totally comfortable with sharing with each other ….with those you love and trust!

Breast Aware

When I returned from holiday I received a phone call from a very close friend. She was as bubbly as ever enquiring how we enjoyed our break.  I asked her how her "how things had been with her....anything going on?"  She relied by saying "lots".  Intrigued I said" do tell" thinking this was going to be one of our usual gossip sessions.

What followed was anything but lighthearted banter.  She told me that she had been providing support to her friend who had skin cancer.  Somehow this had prompted her to examine  herself after a hospital visit.  To her surprise she found a very small lump the size of a pea under her arm.  She wasn't unduly alarmed but went to see her doctor who immediately said he didn't like the look of it and referred her immediately to a breast specialist.  A biopsy followed and at this point in time my friend was waiting for the results.

Since this phone call  many things have happened including acknowledgement that this was indeed cancer but maybe in early stage.  A lumpectomy followed only to find that several nodes were affected and therefore intensive chemo was required.  She has had various scans to make sure as far as possible that the cancer hasn't spread.  Good news on this front so chemo begins next week.

In preparation for this aggressive treatment we went to choose a wig this week. Her consultant  warned that she would almost certainly lose her hair and it would be less distressing if she cut her hair now to avoid the experience of hair fallout.  When we met at the wig provider workshop my friend had already cut her hair quite severely and I felt a pang of sadness that this was necessary.  However the wig fitting went very well and we did have quite a few laughs as she experimented with different colours and styles. She settled for one which was more her colour with with warm streaks.  It is surprising how this experience really lifted her spirits and morale  and she is in a positive frame of mind ready to face the next set of treatments.  She appreciates that she is going to have highs and lows but is determined to remain resilient and practical and to see through this lengthy process.

She has been through the inevitable feelings of shock and anger and I am sure the latter will surface every now and then.  She only retired a few months ago, doesn't smoke, hardly ever has a drink, exercises and keeps her weight under control.  Breast cancer isn't  known in the family - as she joked that bad hearts were.....

She said she had neglected examining herself. She recalled having a mammogram 2 years ago which did reveal a shadow which was assessed as a flap of skin and that no further action was taken. This may not have been sinister but looking for answers is very human.

She will have all the love and support from her family and friends and I know she will come through this and have a positive outcome.

This does highlight how important it is to self examine, have regular checks and mammograms and to be vigilant.

Here is a very informative link regarding self examination.

http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps

please feel free to comment on your experiences which will be helpful to others


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