3 weeks post chemo

Today I am 3 weeks post chemo.  All the achy side effects are gone but I am so tired all the time.  I have been trying to work full days and after work I go home and lay down for a little bit.  It is the only way I can make it through homework, dinner etc.  Of course now radiation has started today I will only be working about 6 hours per day.  I am so worn out by 3:00PM each day and where I am still getting up at the same time to make it to Ogden Regional on time I don't know that I will be able to stay longer than 3:00PM.  Time will tell. 

Last week I got another lovely side effect from the chemo.  My fingernails started turning white and lifting from my nail beds.  I have to be super careful not to snag them at all or they will tear the part where the nails are attached.  While this is not too painful I am sure it will be should they snag.  Each morning when I wake up I see more whiteness than the night before.  I have trimmed my nails as short as I can get them to try and avoid the snags.  I may have to resort to putting Band-aids on all of my fingers if it gets worse.  My fingers are still a little bit numb and they do hurt more where the nails are lifting off. 

On a good note and I am afraid once again to actually type this out but I still have my eyebrows, eyelashes and the hair on my arms.  I am hoping to hold on to them but I am still nervous that they might fall out.  If I can make it to 6 weeks post chemo without them falling out then I will have some hope that they might be here to stay but for now I wait.

I started Nioxin which is a shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment to try and regrow hair.  One of my friends that is a cosmetologist got it for me.  Along with that is a hair regrow serum that is fairly new for Nioxin but it is similar to female Rogaine.  I started it last Wednesday, April 8th.  While I won't know if this is working or not I figure it is worth a try.  I had quite a bit of stubble during my last chemo treatment and the stubble is definitely longer but it is still white so you cannot see it unless you tilt the mirror just right.  I am so hoping it gets its pigment back soon and the color will start to show through.  I was told that hair starts to regrow around 6 weeks or so.  I can't wait until I can ditch the wig.  I will probably ditch it as soon as I have some color on top.  People will have to get used to seeing me with super short hair for a while as it grows back.  I am totally comfortable with my bald head at home both inside and outside so I don't think I will have a problem with my super short new do.  I just need enough color to show through to hide my huge red spot on the back of my head and then I will ditch the wig out in public as well.  Hopefully by the end of June I will have enough to cover my head and I can go natural especially with the heat of summer almost upon us.