Member-only story
Bald chick out on the town
Dealing with the aftermath of radiation treatment
Once upon a time, I had beautiful hair. It fell to my waist in luscious waves and curls. It was thick and lustrous.
Then I got cancer.
17 years ago, in 2004, I was first diagnosed with inflammatory breast disease. I was given 6 months to live, but I’m still here. However, thanks to the chemo, I lost my hair.
It eventually grew back, but thinner and with gray strands where before there had been none.
Then, 4 years ago, I had a ductal carcinoma. The tumor was the size of a grapefruit when I had my mastectomy. While I’m now lopsided, at least I didn’t lose my hair.
Then this last April, at the end of the month, I couldn’t move my right leg. The only way I could walk was by dragging it along. Sometimes I used my hands to move that leg, which was like so much dead weight.
Had I had a stroke? What was wrong?
Turned out, I had a brain tumor. I also had metastatic lung cancer, but that wasn’t what was causing the issues with my leg.
I had a lemon sized tumor removed from my brain. Unfortunately, during the MRI, they discovered another, tiny, spot. So I had radiation therapy.
