{"id":876,"date":"2013-03-16T22:32:05","date_gmt":"2013-03-16T22:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/turningheadsproject.org\/?p=876"},"modified":"2013-07-26T16:59:28","modified_gmt":"2013-07-26T16:59:28","slug":"monica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/turning-heads.org\/monica\/","title":{"rendered":"Monica"},"content":{"rendered":"

I found out I had breast cancer on Sept. 4, 2012. \u00a0Talk about a punch in the stomach and getting the air knocked out of you, that is how I felt. \u00a0I had delt with kidney failure in 2007 and had a transplant in April of 2009, from my aunt. \u00a0Which is still working now through my chemo, I have the best nephrologist who is keeping an eye on my kidney. \u00a0I’m married and have two wonderful boys who take good care of me. \u00a0I’m surrounded by the best support system anyone could ask for with family and friends. <\/p>\n

At first it was hard to hear the words “You have cancer”. \u00a0I cried and cried but my faith in my God Jehovah is what has gotten me through this. \u00a0A 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. \u00a0I myself will help you’.”. True to the doctors word my hair started falling out the 2nd week after the 1st treatment. \u00a0My 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. \u00a0I thought easy for them to say. \u00a0I 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. \u00a0I 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. \u00a0One 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. \u00a0As I brushed my hair gobs came out and it made me cry. \u00a0Days went by of me not wanting to touch my hair I would wash it quickly then pat dry and not brush. \u00a0I finally gut the courage and called another friend of mine Jeanie to come buzz it. \u00a0 At that point I hadn’t been able to look in the mirror at myself because of my hair. \u00a0My husband encouraged me to go ahead and cut it off, he reminded me it would grow back. \u00a0So once it was finally buzzed off, i was like wow! It felt good. \u00a0I can’t believe how cool it is to have no hair. \u00a0It is so easy and quick to get ready, I love it! \u00a0This experience I feel has made me strong if not stronger. \u00a0I feel it’s just another bump in my road and I’m happy because of all the support I have. \u00a0Being positive is the key to getting through this illness. \u00a0My nurses at chemo are wonderful and cheerful, I like going there; even though I don’t want to be there. \u00a0Does that make sense? \u00a0Anyways 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. \u00a0I so much enjoyed the photo session at Gilda’s Club for Turning Heads. \u00a0It was so much fun! \u00a0I would recommend it to anyone going through cancer who lost their hair. \u00a0Your not just a bald head, but a beautiful woman in a chapter in her life.<\/p>\n

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