My Hair Shaving Experience

Attached is a video of me shaving my head. I felt it was important to do it myself and take some control. I also wanted to experience shaving my own Head.  What did it feel like?

Wow!!! Doing it.

But no strong emotions, just the emotion it had to be done – the alternative of thinning hair just was not attractive.

Some women think men are stronger than us poor women but I disagree because I asked my husband if he wanted to shave his head in support for me  - he turned “green” and said he would not suit it – but I would!!!!

 

 

My Operation

On the 17 January 2013, I was booked into Wishaw hospital to have an operation to remove my left tit.  

Before the operation:

I wrote a wee message for the medical staff to have a wee laugh before they removed my breast. I still had my sense of humour even going under the Big Chop!!!!

 

 

 

After the operation:

 

My breast weighted 7lbs - Wow

 

 

 

Just before I was going into theatre, the breast care nurse informed me about lymhoedema and I said “I know to be more careful like lifting heavy items and avoid infections in the arm etc”.

Then the nurse said “did you know that, if you arm swells up that the swelling will probably not go away – my arm would not go back to its normal size”.

Well !!!!   After hearing that news just before I am getting my mastectomy the air turned blue.

I was raging!!!!!!     Why was I not told this information weeks before the operation instead of a half hour before I when into theatre.

When I was in the recovery ward, coming around from the operation, I ask the nurse what I was talking about whilst under the general anesthesia – she said I was cursing a lot. LOL

Even subconsciously, I was still annoyed with that bloody nurse telling me about lymhoedema and the chance of getting an elephant arm.

 

Here is a picture of a lymhoedema arm:

By the way - this is not me. This s a black women who has lymhoedema.

 

 

 

My Wig

My wig is gorgeous!!!!! I got the wig from “Parrucche” in Merchant City. The owner Melanie Burrell is also a gorgeous woman, who is approachable, caring and down to earth. 

 

In Sept 2012, I went to collect my wig but I needed to get my hair shaved because my hair was very thin. So, I asked if she mined if I could shave my head myself – I think she was a little taken back. She said “I was the first person to shave their own head in her salon”. I was delighted to be the first – how childish.

 

As soon as I got my wig fitted. I asked the owner Melanie if she didn’t mine if she could put my wig in the box because I needed to embrace my new baldy look right away. Again, I was the first person to leave a wig shop without wearing the wig.

 

 

Here is me pretending, I am having a bad wig day. Ha Ha

 

Sorry Melanie - I am only joking!!!

 

My New Bra’s

I was given £100 from my family to buy mastectomy bras. I visited Mark & Spencer’s and Debenhams to buy a mastectomy bra - they did not have any in the shop, they are only stocked in the bigger shops in Glasgow. So I spend ½ a day on the internet to source my new mastectomy bras.

Well!!     Did any of these online shops have my size 42 FF. NO!!!!

So, I was forced to order 3 smaller bras sized 40 FF and then bought a bra extension strap to give me more room.

 

This is my new tit. – a softie

Biggest one is a size 13 - the biggest size that the NSH make for patients. This softie was too small, so they gave me an additional smaller softie to fill me out to a double FF.

Did you know that my breast removed weighted 7 lbs – ½ stone.

 

Hi

Twin, Kelly, Soibhan, Mum, Dad and Gael. Thanks for the money - here is a picture of one of my mew mastectomy bra's.

Last week, Jim and I when shopping in Morrison and I forgot to put in my 2 softie.

I strolled around Morrison with just one tit. I did not give a shit!!!!

 

My Hospital Visit

Why are there so many sick people outside the hospital smoking????

 

I find going to hospital off putting because half of them look like they are dying, some with one leg, majority off the smokers are in wheel chairs. I want to shout “those figs will give you cancer” and then I think, they need this drug. I am proud to say I have quit smoking for over 5 years and would never look back.

 

I was a social smoker at the weekend and loved it but having kids I had to stop smoking just in case I got cancer. Guess what I got it anyway!!!!

 

I don’t believe that just figs gives you cancer, there are numerous of causes - stress, health, alcohol, well being and just bad luck. I believe my cancer was bad luck. I breast feed all my babies (3 girls) The brochures in hospitals promoted breast feeding can reduce Breast cancer – well it certainly did not reduce my breast cancer – it had no effect on me.

 

I breast feed my youngest Orlaith for 2 years and I would not change a thing. I absolutely loved breast feeding – I would highly recommend it. My friend Frances Dodds (a nurse) used to call me “Daisy the Cow “ because I could express 10oz of breast milk from one breast in one sitting.