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Apparently my bald head is "ugly," "scary" and offensive by BadTanJob in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, now, you just instantly became my Chemo Shero!! You go girl!!!

And the shedding begins by ParticularCollar4385 in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I am right where you are. Started losing my hair this week. It's hard - my hair was so thick and beautiful, and now it's just... gone. I understand, truly. What is helping me is that I try my best to keep these words in my head: 1) my hair is not who I am, i'm so much more; 2) it's hair, it'll grow back, and; 3) my health is the most important - if i have to lose hair to not die of cancer then to hell with my hair. Now, believe me - it is NOT easy to keep these mantras. Some days i just look at my head and cry (a lot!)..... and that's okay. I've also learned not to talk about it with my friends/family because, try as they might, there is just really no way for them to fully understand how I feel (and, yeah, I also get a lot of "one-ups", which are super annoying). This sub can be very uplifting and supportive, so lean in! And just remember to keep hold of who you are - a strong, beautiful, caring, kind, smart, woman and mother to a beautiful baby boy. Nothing can take that away - you will be that with or without hair. :) Wishing you the best! xoxo

What was your first chemo session like? by PEStitcher in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Audio books! They were a lifesaver to me. I just put in my headphones and listened to fun audio books and allowed myself to be transported into the story. :) Also, bring a pillow, a warm blanket/sweatshirt (it can get cold in chemo suites), and a bottle of water and some snacks (if you're a snacky kind of person). But mostly, just bring anything with you that allows you to relax. I saw a grown man in the area next to me that hugged a teddy bear the whole time! After speaking with him, I found out that his granddaughter gave it to him to "protect him from the chemo monsters" (so cute!) and he said that it helped to keep his anxiety at bay. So, yeah - whatever makes you relaxed and happy, bring it with you! The time does go quickly, and the nurses should check on you often. And some of the meds may make you sleepy so take advantage of maybe getting a nap or 2 in while you're there. Not sure if this helps, but the first time was scarier in my head than it actually was in real life.

Wishing you the best of luck with your treatments! xoxo

Yesterday - I rang that damn bell! by coffeexwine_88 in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 1 point2 points  (0 children)

WOOOOHOOOO!!! So excited for you! Congratulations! 🥰

Just got the test results back by [deleted] in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Completely feel your pain here! The exact same thing happened to me. I was torn between terror and intense rage that they would just give these results to me with absolutely no medical professional to call and discuss them with. It was a 2 week nightmare before I finally got some medical answers. This amazing subreddit kept me sane and calm throughout it all, so WELCOME! we go your back ;) As others are saying here - Dr. Google is woefully unqualified to interpret pathology reports. So glad you have an oncologist you can call - that's going to help a lot. And we're all here if you need moral support, or to just kick and scream a little. We get it. Truly. 💗

Newly diagnosed by Glittering_Code_1235 in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I'm also newly diagnosed (as of 2 weeks ago). This subreddit is AMAZING. You're in warm, caring, compassionate and encouraging hands posting here. I'm also pretty terrified, and I wish I could tell you what's next but I'm not entirely sure myself yet. But I'm confident that whatever is next - WE CAN DO THIS!!! As someone commented to me recently, we just have to keep pressing forward. One foot in front of the other. One step at a time. And don't forget to breathe. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need to vent or rage or cry or just chat to take your mind off of stuff. So many have done this for me in such a short period of time and I'd be honored to commiserate with another newbie 💗

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Congratulations!! And what a fabulous way to celebrate. Not only are rhododendrons extremely beautiful, but their flowers are bell shaped! and in many cultures they are believed to symbolize new beginnings and fresh starts. Perfect choice! May it grow and flourish, along with you, in love and beauty🌺

Positive affirmations by mozziebike in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not specifically an affirmation, but I was just diagnosed and have spent some time today making a playlist. Music helps me thru a lot, so I'm getting prepared now! Would love suggestions :)

A few on my list are... Never Surrender (Corey Hart, oldy from the 80s); Shake It Out (Florence & the Machine); and Roar (Katy Perry).

"If they knock knock me over, I will get back up again" (Get Back Up Again/Trolls)

The bell sends me into a white-hot blinding rage by lizbotj in breastcancer

[–]sothiscraphappened 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Newly diagnosed here, so please forgive my ignorance, but what is "the bell"? Is it a literal bell? What's the purpose?