Monica

I found out I had breast cancer on Sept. 4, 2012. Talk about a punch in the stomach and getting the air knocked out of you, that is how I felt. I had delt with kidney failure in 2007 and had a transplant in April of 2009, from my aunt. Which is still working now through my chemo, I have the best nephrologist who is keeping an eye on my kidney. I’m married and have two wonderful boys who take good care of me. I’m surrounded by the best support system anyone could ask for with family and friends.

At first it was hard to hear the words “You have cancer”. I cried and cried but my faith in my God Jehovah is what has gotten me through this. A scripture that comes to mind is Isaiah 41:13 “For I, Jehovah your God, am grasping your right hand, the One saying to you, ‘Do not be afraid. I myself will help you’.”. True to the doctors word my hair started falling out the 2nd week after the 1st treatment. My aunts related to me by marriage on both sides of my family told me I would be loosing my hair and suggested to shave it off. I thought easy for them to say. I greatly appreciated their advice but found it too hard to shave my head, I kept thinking maybe I’d be the one who doesn’t loose her hair. I had my friend and hairdresser Elsa cut my hair short to get used to short hair but it only lasted a week or two at the most. One morning I woke up to hair on my pillow and when I got in the shower I felt all this hair run down my legs, it felt horrible. As I brushed my hair gobs came out and it made me cry. Days went by of me not wanting to touch my hair I would wash it quickly then pat dry and not brush. I finally gut the courage and called another friend of mine Jeanie to come buzz it. At that point I hadn’t been able to look in the mirror at myself because of my hair. My husband encouraged me to go ahead and cut it off, he reminded me it would grow back. So once it was finally buzzed off, i was like wow! It felt good. I can’t believe how cool it is to have no hair. It is so easy and quick to get ready, I love it! This experience I feel has made me strong if not stronger. I feel it’s just another bump in my road and I’m happy because of all the support I have. Being positive is the key to getting through this illness. My nurses at chemo are wonderful and cheerful, I like going there; even though I don’t want to be there. Does that make sense? Anyways going through this I have met so many wonderful people and all the available support that is out there like Gilda’s club and the Lucy Curci center. I so much enjoyed the photo session at Gilda’s Club for Turning Heads. It was so much fun! I would recommend it to anyone going through cancer who lost their hair. Your not just a bald head, but a beautiful woman in a chapter in her life.