So, I am rockin’ a short haircut now that actually looks like a real haircut. The hard part is going to be letting it get past the awkward phase. I have cut it twice since it’s grown back in, but I think I am just going to have to let it get weird for a while if I want to grow it out. New pictures to come soon.
Alison’s Bio
At age 34, I was diagnosed with stage 1B breast cancer. I am trying to learn to live one day at a time and am using this journey to help me find inner peace. I am married to a wonderful guy. I have friends who are like family and family who are like friends. I have a big goofy lab named Tiggy who keeps me laughing. I like spending time near coastal areas and being creative. I hope to do more of that in the future. I am really lucky. Wishing everyone health, peace, love and happiness. Love, AlRSS
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Picture please!
Oops, I missed this comment. More pics coming soon 😉
Hello,
I am a fellow (reasonably) young breast cancer survivor (41). I was diagnosed with Triple Negative BC June 25, 2012. I also tested positive for the BRCA 2 gene. After a bilateral mastectomy, failed reconstruction, and 8 rounds of dose dense (more than the “regular amount and every 2 weeks instead of 3), I am now beginning 30 treatments of radiation. Good times..;) I found your blog while googling images for radiation burns. While your radiation burns make me a bit nervous of what’s to come, your hair growth photos make me optimistic. While I know I should read your whole blog and leave a profound, insightful message about the whole experience of breast cancer and treatment, I am actually interested in something much more superficial. (I’ve found this helps sometimes, focusing on small things that I can control…). So, I hope this doesn’t sound petty or ridiculous..Here goes. Do you wear make-up? I am having a really hard time finding make up that is flattering now that my eyelashes have fallen out and my eyes look very puffy and pink. Your eye make up (if you are wearing any in the photos) is really nice and I’d love to know what brand/colors you use. I know this sounds stupid and I hope it isn’t an insulting question, considering all the things I could write about in terms of your journey, as well as mine. Thank you for sharing..and I wish you continued health and happiness ..
Hi Pam-
Not a superficial question at all. I think taking things step by step and focusing on little things that you can do to make yourself happy is a really good idea. Thanks for the compliment on my eye makeup. Here is what I generally use: Lancome Color Design Eye Shadow Palette in “Bronze Amour 101”, the golds might be too sickly looking but the dark brown can go on like a liner, then you can sweep the medium brown (in the middle, that they say is for the “crease”) over the whole lid and then use the pinkish color below the eyebrow. If I wanted a more made up look I would smudge on either Urban Decay eyeliner in “bourbon” or Laura Mercier Caviar stick in Cocoa (although sometimes the eyeliner irritated my eyes). I have tried a bunch of the expensive mascaras, but I don’t think they are better than Cover Girl’s lash blast volume mascara. The last thing I would use is a brown eyebrow shadow applied with a small brow brush, I think this actually made the biggest difference when my brows were thinner. I like a brow powder from Chanel, but they stopped carrying it, I think Sephora has lots of good brow powders with the small slanted brush included, powder looks way more natural than a brow pencil.
Don’t be too scared about the radiation, for most people they don’t get a huge skin reaction like mine, I just have really sensitive skin and my radiation oncologist used a technique called “bolus” where she draped a wet cloth on my chest and that brought the radiation closer to the skin (it doesn’t seem that everyone gets “bolus”- maybe/hopefully you won’t). I used tons of calendula cream and ointment on my skin (and eventually a prescription called silvadene when it got really bad).
Good luck. Hope you treat yourself to a shopping spree at Sephora!
Wishing you health and happiness too.
Alison
Hi Alison,
Thank you so much for the information! I read a little more of your blog. I hope your implant surgery went well. Also, I am really glad you were able to harvest your eggs. I am so thankful I had my son before all this. He is just 3 , so I cut it very close…I didn’t have any of my eggs harvested due to my age. I wasn’t planning on having another child anyway, but not having the option at all is something to get used to. It’s funny you mentioned the bolus…they just showed it to me yesterday and said they plan to use it 🙂 My radiology oncologist swears by clear aloe vera gel, but I have also read that calendula is really helpful for breast cancer radiation patients. I just might have to invest in some! Thank you again for the information. I just ordered some of the eyeshadow…Perfect birthday present!