July scrapbook - normalcy, friends and birthdays

11 July. Saturday. This is the day of the big Open competition my partner and I were so keen to play. We know we probably won’t play wonderfully but you need to show up to have a chance of getting into next year’s comp (when I should be more on form).

It is 36 holes around two different courses. I am walking as we hadn’t thought to order a buggy and it is too late now. Our friends who we are playing with have a buggy so the option is there for me to ride if I get too tired.

The wig performs well although it gets a bit hot. I glad to get home and get it off.

As predicted we don’t play well but it is a great day out including a lunch that started with as much lobster as one could eat. I am exhausted and know I will crash the next day….which I do.

Tuesday 14 July. I am pretty well back to normal and am able to do my stint in refereeing at the Regional Ladies Amateur Championships. All went well so no problem there and it keeps my hand in, as I have to ‘swot’ the rules and decisions before I go.

My hair continues to slowly fall out.

Wednesday 15 July. It is the invitation day at my club and I have a friend and colleague from work attending. S has arrived the previous night from Manchester via Sweden dragging her clubs with her. The wig has its first real outing among people I know and gets a great response. Once again it performs well even staying on in the strong winds of the day. We play reasonably although not well enough to get into the main prizes. My Guest wins the longest drive by a mile and is very pleased with herself.


Thursday 16 July. My son and his girlfriend come for supper. She and I share a birthday the next day. My partner is taking me out and she and my son will be with friends so we have an early present swap. We have bought her some crystal earrings on the advice of our son. My partner has been in cahoots with the family and to my complete surprise, I am presented with a Wii system including the Wii fitness board etc. My son and his girlfriend have bought me the Tiger Woods game to go with it. My partner has also bought me the latest iPod shuffle. So tiny I am scared I will lose it but it will be great on the train and during chemo. It was a lovely lot of presents and I feel very spoiled.


Friday 17 July. Aaaaargh, I am 58 years old. I don’t feel it - does one ever feel one’s age? It is still a working day for me so we don’t celebrate until the evening. We have booked to have dinner at a lovely old Elizabethan hotel. The one we visited after we got the news about needing the second operation. One of the reasons we wanted to go back there is that during the weeks after the diagnosis we had both come to the conclusion that after living together for over 15 years, we might like to get married and this hotel ‘did’ weddings. It was a good opportunity to check it out again.

Tuesday 21 July. I’m in town at work and am meeting an old colleague at the RAC in Pall Mall for lunch. He has never been there so I am treating him.

The wig performs well and he doesn’t even realize until I tell him.

Wednesday 22 July. More golf. This time at a very prestigious club of one of my partner’s friends. I play with the guys….not too badly. The wig performs well.


Thursday 23 July. Friends from Poland who we haven’t seen for months arrive for supper and a stay over. They are amazed by the kitchen, which they have followed via facebook photos. They are gratifyingly awed by the kitchen and the wig.

We have a great supper and we play with the Wii. Very good fun!

Friday 24 July. Working from home but I find time to have lunch with some girls from my old club. Its good to catch up and introduce them to the wig. They become great fans. I will have to set up a special facebook page for the wig at this rate.

9 July - Hair goes!

9 July. No queasiness and I feel well enough to go to a Pilates class in the morning. The afternoon is scheduled for the hair cut. I walk into my hairdressers carrying the wig. G comes up and I demonstrate the problem by pulling a couple of handfuls of hair out. She gets the message. We agree that she won’t shave it but cut what is left down to about half an inch. That done I put the wig on. She is amazed. It does look good. She even gives it a few snips to even up the back and the fringe. The receptionist, who wasn’t around when I came, in is in raptures thinking it is a new style from G. She can’t get over the fact it is a wig. I feel really good as I walk back to the car. I stop at a retro clothes chop that sell really fabulous old clothes and buy a couple of hats and scarves to treat myself.

I have a big week next week.

5 July - Hair today, gone tomorrow

Sunday 5 July.

I am running my hands through my hair to get it out of my face and shock, horror….I have loose hairs in my fingers. Damn. During the afternoon I keep getting more loose hair. Not great chunks of it, just a few strands each time but it is definitely coming out. The question is will it all drop out or is it just going to get thinner? Either way something needs to be done so I book a session with my hairdresser to cut it shorter. This will be on the day after my next chemo in 3 days time. I will try the cold cap again in case this is just a thinning rather than complete alopecia but I am not holding out too much hope. Still, I have the wig waiting in the wings and have decided just to use a baseball cap for golf if it is too hot.

12 June -Tennis balls and wigs

Friday 12 June. The tennis ball was back so I made another quick trip to see Mr P for a repeat performance with his big syringe. Once again the relief was terrific. The seroma was a nuisance but nothing compared to the previous wound infection. This proved to be the last time it would need draining.
The other research I did was into wigs and headwear. I discovered a great sounding wig boutique in a nearby town and booked a consultation. I took my sister-in-law, as I am not very good at knowing what suits me most of the time. We had a great time. The consultant was terrific, the price was right, the whole deal came with free make over, manicure and facial as part of nurturing package – and we rounded the trip off with a really good lunch.
With the wig on order and everything lined up I was feeling pretty much in control by the time arrived for the first chemo session.