You know the feeling you get when you really need to wash your hair? The itch. That only gets better with a good scrub to the head.
Well, I have it. And I shower everyday!
It's starting. And I'm dreading it. Know everyone will know. There's no way to hide it.
I'm struggling again with this issue. I know I'll get used to it, just as I've gotten used to seeing myself without one breast. I know it will be OK. Eventually. But right now it's hard. I only have about a week left of hair. I don't want to do this anymore. And I know I don't have a choice and that sucks.
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Sue Sassmann's fight against breast cancer.
About Me
- Sue Sassmann
- A day after my 38th birthday, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma. As a wife and mother of three beautiful daughters, I never imaged my life would take this path.
Behind the Scenes
Background for what's going on now...I was diagnosed on Friday, March 28, 2008 with breast cancer—infiltrating ductal carcinoma (also called invasive ductal carcinoma). Atypical cells–cells that, for an unknown reason, mutated as they grew–have collected in the ducts in the breast. At some point, these atypical cells broke through the duct wall, and started moving into the surrounding tissue. This is when the cancer crossed the line from DCIS–ductal carcinoma in situ–to invasive (infiltrating) ductal carcinoma–IDC. It’s the most common type of breast cancer.
I am ER (estrogen receptor) and PR (progesterone receptor) positive and HER2 negative. All that basically means is that my prognosis is good and I’ll respond well to treatment. Blood work and chest x-ray are clear!
After the MRI, it was determined that the right side is clear, but they found another spot on the left closer to the breast bone. Because I’m opting for the mastectomy on the left, they don’t have to test it, they’ll just remove it.
Surgery was April 28 and the results of the surgery weren't as good as we had hoped. The surgery and the mastectomy went alright, however they found cancer cells in the lymph gland nearest the cancer. Dr. Radford took out the remaining lymph glands on the left side. We are looking at aggressive chemo in hopes of killing any remaining cancer cells and reconstruction looks like it'll be in three months or so.
I am ER (estrogen receptor) and PR (progesterone receptor) positive and HER2 negative. All that basically means is that my prognosis is good and I’ll respond well to treatment. Blood work and chest x-ray are clear!
After the MRI, it was determined that the right side is clear, but they found another spot on the left closer to the breast bone. Because I’m opting for the mastectomy on the left, they don’t have to test it, they’ll just remove it.
Surgery was April 28 and the results of the surgery weren't as good as we had hoped. The surgery and the mastectomy went alright, however they found cancer cells in the lymph gland nearest the cancer. Dr. Radford took out the remaining lymph glands on the left side. We are looking at aggressive chemo in hopes of killing any remaining cancer cells and reconstruction looks like it'll be in three months or so.
1 comment:
Sue,
I can't imagine what you are having to go thru, but I know it has to really be bad the way you are talking. You are a fighter and your tuff, go ahead a cry your eyes out and then put on the wig and pretend you are a beautiful movie star(although you were beautiful without the wig) and what really counts is who is inside you and you are a beatiful person without your hair also. I don't know if my words help or not, but I can't wait til next month when I can give you a big hug!!. I love you girl, hang in there and lean on God and with his help you will get thru this too!!
Aunt Pat
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