Losing my hair: I was told my hair would fall out 2 weeks after my first treatment. During the interim, I asked my daughter (Brittany) to cut my hair. She took about 8 inches off of my long curly blond locks. I figured it would make the hair loss process go much easier with shorter hair. It was 2 weeks to the day, and as prepared as I thought I was for this process, I was still taken aback when I was in the shower and my hair was coming out in clumps. Clumps, and clumps of hair. I didn’t expect it all to fall out at once like that. I thought it would come out over several days. I called out to Frank to please bring me a garbage bag for it. My pillar of strength stayed with me, and there we were, I was standing in the shower pulling out clumps of hair and handing them to him to put in the bag. Then the tears started to well up in my eyes, and I cried quietly as my locks of golden blonde left my head. When I went to my hairdresser for him to shave the rest off, and set me up in my “new” wig, Frank stood by my side, and he said the cutest thing to me that day. He said; “you know how when couples grow old they start to look like each other?” I said; “yeah”, He said; “well look at us, we are doing it in four years!!” At the time it was really sweet and so funny, even Lou (my hairdresser) was laughing… The reference here is that Frank shaves his head all of the time!
I hated that wig. I looked like Carol Brady, and it was hot and itchy. Baseball hats are much more suitable for me!
In early March of 2009, after 3 chemo treatments I had my first CAT scan. It showed great progress. I was winning! Yes!! I knew I would do it! By the 5th treatment my CA125 was about a 12. Dr. S. called me his golden star! One more treatment to go and I was done!
On a side note: The CA125 is a blood test which is a tumor marker for ovarian cancer. It is an indicator of the protein levels that the cancer is producing. It is used with oc patients after diagnosis to monitor the decrease/increase of the cancer. The number should be under 35. When I was diagnosed it was a 125, after surgery 52, and then downwards with each chemo treatment.
My last treatment was in April of 2009, and a CAT scan confirmed “NED” No Evidence of Disease. I was in remission! I did it!!! I won!!! Brittany’s Sweet-16 was in May, she had a huge party which I bought a new wig for. It is auburn and straight with bangs, a very different look then I had before. We had a really great time at her party, the summer was peaceful, the fall brought Halloween, then Thanksgiving and the holidays! I was feeling great; I was in love with life, my family, my friends… Happy New Year y’all! Welcome to 2010!
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