Going bald during chemotherapy

It's not a deliberate fashion statement, it's alopecia.

Alopecia or hair loss during chemotherapy is one of the most common side effects. I started losing hair after my second session of chemotherapy. No matter how much I have prepared myself - cutting my hair short - for this dramatic event during chemotherapy, i still got the shock of my life one morning when my hair started falling off, not just one strand but clumps of hair on my pillow, floor and shower. I even shouted when I was showering and saw my hair fall off in really massive amount. And with it was a painful scalp.

So, shaving my hair was the best option to lessen the “pain of losing my hair”.
It’s alopecia or hair loss in chemotherapy and not a fashion statement but why not coz bald is beautiful!

- SHAVE DAY -

- ALOPECIA -

How to encourage cancer patients?

Ever since the "bomb" was dropped on me, I have been receiving tons and tons of love and encouragement from bff (best friends forever), CF (close friends, not so close friends, colleagues, regular friends, boss and my sisters in the community where i belong, the Couples for Christ Handmaids of the Lord.

Most of my friends cried with me.  How sweet...ayyyyy.  This means that they are emphatic more than having sympathy on me.  Some started crying before me ha ha ha.  I received lots of hugs and encouraging messages.  I also received a lot of flowers and food.  Yes, food.  They all want me to regain back the strength to be ready for the next surgery and for the radioactive treatment.  

JUST BEING THERE!  You do not need to say something.  I do not expect you to cry.  I do not want yo to be stressed.  Just be there for me.  Touch me, yes touch me because I need all the warmth at this time of my life.  Hug me, that is better because i need all the comfort in this time of  uncertainty.  Remind me, yes remind me to be strong but do not show me you are weak for i might also get weaker.  Accompany me as i might not really want to be alone at this time.  Give me space also to be alone that i may rethink and talk to my God, but never ever make me feel that I am alone.  I am so blessed to have friends and people who are very encouraging and very loving.

those eyes ha! ha! ha!

FLOWERS.  Oh i love the colors of  flowers.  I love it when they give me flowers.   It warms my heart and i feel so special (because I'm sick, ha ha ha).

From my Medical Records family

CARDS, TEXT, CHAT or any MESSAGES that could uplift a sick person.  Today, i received a card from my colleagues and a text message from my boss saying:

Dear Lorelie, no sickness can keep you down with our prayers.  I always have been taught to rise after every fall, hence now it is time for you to rise out of your sickness and fly high.  Warmest wishes.  Get well soon.

PRAYERS.  And the most important of all is prayer.  I think i gained my courage to fight against thyroid cancer is the prayers of those people who care for me.  These prayers are like wings that lift me up from being down.  Prayers as we believe can move mountains.  Have faith and believe in miracles.

Indeed!

What is papillary thyroid carcinoma?

My histopatholoy read:  Well-differentiated pattern lesion with papillary cytology.  Part B shows papillary carcinoma.....

When the "bomb" was thrown to me three days ago, i read and re-read the test results, the laboratory tests, medical reports and operative report.  It says carcinoma...papillary thyroid carcinoma.  What in the world is papillary thyroid carcinoma?

 the final pathology report

According to Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Association, 

• Papillary and follicular thyroid cancers are referred to as differentiated thyroid cancer, which means that the cancer cells look and act in some respects like normal thyroid cells.
• Papillary and follicular thyroid cancers account for more than 90% of all thyroid cancers. They tend to grow very slowly.
• Their variants include columnar, diffuse sclerosing, follicular variant of papillary, Hürthle cell, and tall cell. Two other variants (insular andsolid/trabecular) are considered to be intermediate between differentiated thyroid cancer and poorly differentiated thyroid cancer. The variants tend to grow and spread more than typical papillary cancer.
• If detected early, most papillary and follicular thyroid cancers can be treated successfully. Their treatment and management are similar and are based on staging and individual risk levels.
• Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer. It accounts for about 80% of all thyroid cancers. Papillary thyroid cancer generally grows very slowly, but can often spread to lymph nodes in the neck. It also can spread elsewhere in the body.
• The most common variant of papillary is the follicular variant (not to be confused with follicular thyroid cancer). It also usually grows very slowly. Other variants of papillary thyroid cancer (columnar, diffuse sclerosing, and tall cell) are not as common and tend to grow and spread more quickly.
• Follicular thyroid cancer accounts for about 10-15% of all thyroid cancers. Treatment will be discussed later in this booklet. Hürthle cell thyroid cancer is a variant of follicular.
• Follicular thyroid cancers usually do not spread to the lymph nodes, but in some cases can spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or bones.
• Treatment for follicular thyroid cancer is similar to treatment for papillary. Hürthle cell cancer (also known as oncocytic or oxyphilic) is less likely than other differentiated thyroid cancer to absorb radioactive iodine, which is often used for the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer.
• A protein called thyroglobulin (abbreviated Tg) is used as a marker for whether all of the differentiated thyroid cancer has been successfully removed. Determining the Tg level in your blood by periodic testing will help your doctors determine how well you are doing with your treatment. Some patients produce anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), which are not harmful but which mask the reliability of the Tg value.

Cancer of any type is still cancer - scary and dreadful.  A lot of doctors say, even my doctor, that thyroid carcinoma is the simpliest and the easiest to treat.  Well, it is still cancer, right?

September is Thyroid Cancer Awareness month - Get checked

Thyroid cancer cases have been increasing globally.  It is a disease wherein abnormal cells grow in the thyroid.  The thyroid is found in the neck.  It is butterfly shaped located just above the larynx and the trachea.

What are the symptoms of thyroid nodule?

I never felt any of these but accidentally in one of the workshops in the hospital where i am working for, they found a nodule in my right thyroid.

1.  Lump in the neck sometimes not readily felt and can grow quickly.
2. Swelling in the neck.
3.  Pain in the neck.
4.  Difficulty swallowing.
5.  Difficulty breathing.
6.  Frequent cough


These symptoms may or may not be cancer.  It is still good to be safe and get checked.  I never felt any or was not aware that it could be a thyroid nodule when they found out i had one.  It better to get checked earlier and have peace of mind.

For more info,  Thyca.org or if you are in Dubai, you may contact the American Hospital Dubai.