Jewish Warrior Sisters

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  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 4,640
    edited January 2012

    Sharibell....I went topless as soon as I was done chemo!!!!  I hated my wig....and in hats you could tell that I was bald so why bother!!!  It was the start of a new school year and I had "peach" fuzz......When I was in Tx, I wore either my wig (only a few times) or hats to work, but as soon as I got in the car, I took it off!!!  my hair was coarse and thick and wavy and my wig was straight and lighter than my hair...the kids would ask me how I got my hair so straight....I don't really know what I told them.....but the B**** I worked for wouldn't let me tell the kids before I left for surgery that I had cancer and she never sent a letter to any of the families.....eventually some found out....I was out for a month, then tood time off for each chemo....she was wicked and eventually found a way to get rid of me!!!!

    I took pictures of my hair monthly as it was growing back in, then on the anniversary of finishing chemo year 1 and year 2....then my hair started thinning and went stick straight so I cut my hair short and I've kept it short (or shortish) since them....doesn't look good long anymore....but 2 years post chemo, it was awesome...thick, coarse, wavy...just like before Dx.....have a great pic from my DD#! college graduation...I blame the AI's (Aromasin) in particular) for it thinning.....

    So long winded answer...and sorry for hijacking the thread......

  • Caya
    Caya Member Posts: 46
    edited January 2012

    Hi Ladies,

    I haven't posted in awhile - DH and I were in Boca Raton for Chanukah, had a nice party at my Mom's condo in Pembroke Pines (southwest of Ft. Lauderdale) with assorted aunts, uncles and cousins.  Our older daughter flew down for one week, she is an autism therapist and her centre closed down for the week between Xmas and New Years.  We had great weather in Fla, but it's back to the grind back here in Toronto.  I live in Thornhill, just north of the city - Bathurst south of Hwy. 7 (near Chabad Flamingo), for any Torontonians on the board.

    I had my last chemo early June, 2007, and by the end of August, I was going au naturel.  Looks like I had a brush cut, but I did not care. I had two wigs, I hardly wore them, only if I was out professionally.  I mostly wore scarves and the little cotton caps with the lace trims.  I had very thick, frizzy wavy MOT hair before chemo, it grew back quite straight, less gray, and more fine.  I love it - I wear it in a bob with bangs, it only takes me about 15 minutes to blow dry, something I could never have envisioned in my wildest dreams.  I say at least something good came out of chemo.

    Hope everyone is off to a good healty start to 2012 ...

    Caryn

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,316
    edited January 2012

    Another C-a-r-y-n!! Glad your holidays were good and happy 2012 to you too.

    Caryn

  • SAB
    SAB Member Posts: 1,121
    edited January 2012

    (Sing it) Shabbat, shabbat, shabbat shabbat shalom!  

  • Caya
    Caya Member Posts: 46
    edited January 2012

    Shabbat Shalom, hey!

  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 4,640
    edited January 2012

    Wishing everyone a good Shabbat.....candle lighting here is in about 20 minutes :)

  • rachelvk
    rachelvk Member Posts: 564
    edited January 2012

    Shabbat Shalom. Wishing everyone a restful weekend.

  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 1,929
    edited January 2012

    Shavua Tov!

    We had a very rainy Shabbat - thank G-d! We sure need the rain. Of course, since it was so rainy it was the week my long coat was in the cleaners and I only had my short coat! I'm just glad I had offered to have our Tehillim group in my house this week so I didn't have to go out again.

    I had a bone scan on Wed. I've been having pain in my hip that's been increasing. It seems like the same pain I've been having for years that I think is either arthritis or bursitis but because of the increase in pain & the mets the onc wants to scan - he said depending on the answers on the bone scan he might send me for CT after that. Please increase davening for me! I'll call Sun to ask for the answers.

    Leah

  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 4,640
    edited January 2012

    Leah....prayers for only good news...you are on my personal misaberach list at shul....Hugs, Karen

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,316
    edited January 2012

    Leah,

    Many prayers for you!

    Caryn

  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 4,640
    edited January 2012

    Leah_S....any news yet?  You've been in my thougths all day...

    Rachel...when is your next chemo?

    Hugs, karen

  • rachelvk
    rachelvk Member Posts: 564
    edited January 2012

    Leah - I'll keep you in my prayers.

    My next chemo is Jan 26. Thank G-d my second tx went without SEs except feeling a little more tired for a few days. Feeling blessed that so far things have gone so well, but I realize things will get harder.

    Shavua tov. 

  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 1,929
    edited January 2012

    Good news - I'm and old lady! The bone scan doesn't show any new tumors and the one in my sacrum continues stable. When we talked about this pain and the things that could cause it, my onc said, "Well, you are getting older". I told him that's why I was doing the cancer treatments- I wanted to get OLD.

    Maybe I will.

    Leah

  • pessa
    pessa Member Posts: 137
    edited January 2012

    Good to hear this wonderful news!

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited January 2012
    Yay Leah!
  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 3,696
    edited January 2012

    Great news Leah! Reminds me that I heard Valerie Harper on the radio today say she doesn't mind being called a "senior.". She said she'd rather be a "senior than a junior.". May we all get to be seniors!



    BTW... She appeared on the albumn When You're In Love The Whole World Is Jewish.. Anyone remember the album or am I dating myself?

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,316
    edited January 2012

    Leah,

    Mazel tov! Here's to achy bones, grey hair and wrinkles. May you, and all of us, live to be very old ladies.

    Caryn

  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 4,640
    edited January 2012

    Leah.....so happy to hear that you are an old lady!!!  such good news!!!  My dream is that we all grow old together....grow into cranky old ladies!!!!  Hugs, Karen

  • rachelvk
    rachelvk Member Posts: 564
    edited January 2012

    Leah - Chiming in with a mazel tov!

    I'll be celebrating the 30th anniversary of my Bat Mitzvah this Shabbat. I'll probably read the Maftir (the haftorah was taken). It will be a good thing to celebrate. 

  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 4,640
    edited January 2012

    Rachel....mazel tov on 30 years since your Bat Mitzvah....when you say read the maftir are you laining it?  good for you....enjoy!!!  Karen

  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 1,929
    edited January 2012

    Big Mazal Tov Rachel!

    Leah

  • Caya
    Caya Member Posts: 46
    edited January 2012

    Leah, I am so happy that you are getting old.

    I told my onc. it is his job to make me get old... when women complain about wrinkles, grey hair etc., I just tell them - Believe me, you WANT to get old!!

    Mazel Tov Rachel on the 30th anniversary of your Bat Mitzvah.

    all the best

    Caryn

  • hrf
    hrf Member Posts: 706
    edited January 2012

    Great news, Leah!!

  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 4,640
    edited January 2012

    Since I'm generally on late for the east coast sisters and for Leah in Israel, going to wish everyone a good Shabbat tonight....tomorrow morning I need to get up straight away and start cooking and also cleaning (maybe one day we'll get a cleaning lasy every now and again!!!) ....need to make challah...plus I'm cooking shabbat lunch for a family who had a baby about 3 weeks ago....its been more of a struggle to come up with a menu than it is for a dinner....going to make chicken primavera....also make that for us too.....think quoinoa or pasta or both to go with....no sure what else is on my menu for shabbat dinner....we are invited to a shabbat lunch after school for an aufruf...the chossen is the same age as my DS...they went to school kgd- 6....and the kallah is only 20!!!  The wedding is in NJ, but it doesn't look like any of us are going to be able to make it....Thought DH would go.....but he has a crazy travel schedule this winter....and can't have him in NJ and not head to Toronto to see the kids....oh well....maybe we'll get invited to sheva brachot, but thinking not since the wedding is on 2+ weeks away....Rachel...good luch with your next chemo...If I remember correctly, its coming up soon!!!

  • SheriBell
    SheriBell Member Posts: 32
    edited January 2012

    Shabbat Shalom Ladies.  Thanks for those that replied about their "topless" dates.  I have still been wearing wigs to work.  Next Weds I have a minor outpatient procedure of fat grafting and nipple construction.  I am off for a few days after that and I am planning a visit to the salon - provided I get a trim and color I like I may begin to go topless at work.   I have a couple of questions for my Jewish sisters.

    1.  Tatoos - I currently possess NO tatooes but after my nipples are constructed I will have them tatooed to look pink.  I had always heard tatoos were a no no for MOTs.   Are these allowed?

    2.  Tamoxifin - I am not having any bad reactions but I seem to have trouble losing weight - is this normal?

     Thanks Ladies! 

  • Chocolaterocks
    Chocolaterocks Member Posts: 94
    edited January 2012

    Sheri Bell,

    Hi, I am a Reform Jew  but up until this year I taught post Bar/Bat Mitzvah students who would be confirmed down the road. I covered all the fun topics including tattooing..... so I had researched it  many times. I believe my resources included more conservative points of view as well.  The answer was  that tatoos for medical reasons such as br ca are perfectly acceptable. This is what I instructed as I attempted to discourage what is so popular today. Hope this helps.

    good luck,

    chocolate

  • SAB
    SAB Member Posts: 1,121
    edited January 2012

    SheriBell, My understanding is that Tamox can inhibit weight loss and even encourage weight gain in some ladies.  There is an excellent thread called "Bottle of Tamoxifen" that would have lots of info for you.  I have managed some weight loss since starting the drug, but it took the anti-cancer diet, less than 1200 calories a day plus daily exercise.  

    Good luck with your upcoming procedures! 

  • SheriBell
    SheriBell Member Posts: 32
    edited January 2012

    Thanks for all the info ladies!!!   SO glad about the tatooing.   1200 calories plus daily workouts - sigh - I guess that is what I have to do!!

  • SheriBell
    SheriBell Member Posts: 32
    edited January 2012

    SAB - what is the ant-cancer diet?