Alopecia Issues

It's not the first time I've disliked a chemotherapy agent!  I mean, really, who likes getting chemo?  Once I came to the conclusion that Taxotere is evil, I went ahead and allowed myself to Google it. I like to read the forums after reading the "official" and medical sites.  You can get a list of potential side effects from many sources, but to get the "real" scoop, the forums are the way to go.  Real stories.  Real people, speaking of their experiences and telling it like it is!  I especially like the ones that are specifically geared to stage IV breast cancer patients.  These ladies know what I'm going through!  They know the struggles and challenges of ongoing, indefinite treatment.

It didn't take long to find that A LOT of folks agree with my assessment of Taxotere.  It's just bad stuff, y'all!  Oh and get this.  After doing my reading, I started getting "ads" about LAWSUITS against the makers of Taxotere alleging that the drug caused PERMANENT hair loss!  Whaaaaat?  Admittedly, losing my hair, and being bald for most of the past four years, is not an issue that upsets me too much anymore.  Sure, I did enjoy having a little hair during the past year.  Because women just don't look good bald.  There I said it.  One can look good, "considering" that they're bald.  But I think most people would agree that a woman with hair is prettier than one without.  I'm digressing here, sorry.  Back to the lawsuits ... permanent hair loss has got to really suck for those who have completed their cancer treatment and expect their hair to come back.  Now, part of the hand I've been dealt in this cancer game is that it seems I DO have permanent loss of my eyebrows and most of my eyelashes.  This is seriously a question that I'm going to have to discuss with God when I meet Him in Heaven.  Really ... I have stage IV cancer.  Last year, after a miserable, months-long decline in my health, I nearly died.  Yet I was fortunate enough get on a chemotherapy drug combination that provided me with a miracle turnaround, and the reprieve lasted for many months.  During that time my hair grew back, albeit thin.  But my eyebrows never did! Why, God?  Having no eyebrows looks funny!  Yes, I know, I could paint them on, but I'm totally not handy or crafty or artsy, and honestly, I've never been very good at makeup and haircare. Thankfully, for most of my life I was blessed with naturally curly hair that didn't require a lot of work.  Good thing because I truly am rather spastic with a curling iron and not so great with a blow dryer either, although I did get pretty good with a diffuser attachment when big hair was in!  My poor girls had to tolerate my giving them lame and simple ponytails all their young lives .. but the upside to that is that all 3 of them learned how to do amazing braids all by themselves!  But back to my eyebrow & eyelash issue ... the other thing is, I'm lazy.  No, I mean low-maintenance.  Yea, that's it! I really do not want to have to do paint eyebrows on or stick eyelashes on every day, or any day for that matter!  Anyhoo ... very funny, God, very funny.  I see what you did there ... growing my hair everywhere but my eyebrows and eyelashes so I STILL LOOK like a cancer patient.  Good one.

Well that was quite the go-off on my feelings toward my alopecia!  Sorry, y'all, once I got started it just kept flowing.  Evidently it bothers me more than I like to admit.