3/19 POD #20 > Feel and look like me

I drove this evening for the first time in 3 weeks.

My last two drains are OUT!

Ever squeeze slime in your hands and it makes that 'gushy' or 'sloshy' sound? 

Yup. That was the noise these two last drains made when being pulled out 🤢

Kudos to my MIL who was in there with me and unfazed! 

With the drains out, I felt like a whole new woman!  Ok, well not exactly but I did feel freeeeee!

I even put on a REAL shirt today without drain pockets 🤩

My inlaws were gracious enough to spend the day with me going to my two appointments so after the drains were removed we grabbed some brunch/lunch at The Coopersburg Diner <highly recommend the Spanakopita and Greek Salad!>

Then off to the Center for Hope and Healing for a wig consultation and additional bra needs. Who knew one who just got both breasts removed would have such a need for more and more bras HA!

...How do I explain the feelings of today....

Mixed.

Many of you know my Aunt Patty owns her own hair salon in upstate NY, Nouveau Hair Salon. This salon has been in existence for as long as I can remember. My grandpa used to work there and for a period of time I even worked there as her receptionist! 

What many of you may not know is that within her Salon she has a Wig Studio. A studio where my Aunt spends countless hours providing compassion and service, working with individuals who have or are suffering from hair loss for any number of reasons. 

How crazy how things come back full circle. 

When allowed, my cousin and I would go into the studio and admire the wigs and sometimes, again with permission, try a couple on. I mean it was fun to pretend to be someone else. 

I will be honest. At the time, we didn't understand the importance of a sanctuary such as this. A place for healing. A place for recovery. 

And now, I found myself at a similar place but with a very different purpose. 

To pick out a wig for ME.
For ME because I was going to experience significant hair loss.
Because I had cancer.
Because I would need a port placement and 20 weeks of chemo. 
Because MY hair would start to fall out 2 weeks after starting chemo.
Because I  can't imagine waking every morning to hair on my pillow that had fallen out over night. 

Because I still wanted the opportunity even during all of this, to feel and look, like ME.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok...so we still had a bit of fun with it - because how can you not?!