I followed avidly Shannon Doherty’s story of her battle on Facebook. Supporting her with every post, praying for her with every photo. The joy of her laughter and the pain of her tears. Her sharing gave me hope and strength and, if I am honest, completely changed the opinion I had of her from 90210 days.
I also remember following Kylie’s battle not long after my first diagnosis in 2004. Reading about her treatments, what she did or didn’t do. Wondering why she looked so gorgeous wearing a headscarf whereas I looked like a Russian grandmother. She chose not to have steroids with her chemo and I remember wondering why. Had I realised the “slight weight gain” they promised was such an understatement I may have made the same choice!
But how do you know these things? Yes your doctor, oncologist, surgeon can answer lots of questions but their viewpoint will never be the same as yours. There’s no way my oncologist would have told me that although the steroids may make me feel a tad better, I will also put on 2 stone and my face will look rounder than the moon. The full moon.
Yes I was offered the cold cap to try and save my hair, but it wasn’t until speaking to another warrior that I realised too late it was never going to work on my thick long hair. Again, if I as known, I would have had it cut short but into a style I could live with, and one that would allow the cap to actually work!
