So let's consider hair loss in conjunction with chemo therapy. I was told, up front, that I would lose my hair. So to that end I bought a couple of hats, a wig and had my hair cut even shorter.
Long story short, went for a widdle last night before bed and lo, and behold, I discover that the fastest growing hair on my body is NOT on my head, apparently. So my hoo-hoo is going bald. Do I get a wig for that? Ok, that is just silly but consider this. If the hair on you hoo-hoo is the fastest growing, why don't girls have big, ole, hairy ponytails growing out of the zippers on their pants? Really not something you see every, what, century, right?
So I believe that, perhaps, that it is the weakest hair on a girl's body. (the hair on my legs has recently entered a "How much can you grow in 5 minutes contest) The hair under my arms has really calmed down thru the years and since one pit has no feeling I have decided to go comando on the whole shaving the pit thing. If you don't like looking at it please feel free not to, ok?
I think the real question, here, is while all the girls are getting pitying looks because they are bald, are they really smiling on the inside because the playing field is, perhaps................I am just getting to far out here, right?
I do hope that all of my readers have noticed that I have tried to use all the correct words for stuff. Widdle, hoo-hoo. I have dozens of them so if any of you need the correct word, just let me know.
So the second chemo was the worst. The chemo was what is was. But they did the blood work thing and it came back from the lab and then I waited, and waited and waited. After 2 hours I saw my nurse stomp down the hall. I heard her say to the doctor, "This is not working. Mrs. Jeter has waited one and a half hours for her chemo drugs." Then I hear the doctor on the phone to the pharmacy, "You have 5 minutes to get Mrs. Jeter's drugs down here or you can clean out your desk and leave in 10 minutes. No I am NOT laughing. You have just burned 1 minute with excuses and in 6 minutes I will be on the phone to the head of pharmacy and he will be gone at the end of the day." CLICK In a mere 2 minutes someone came running thru with the 2 bags of meds. I was then able to leave in 40 minutes. I was there 5 hours for a 2 hour treatment. Hope that doesn't happen again.
Now, thru all this there has been another weird warp thread in the weave. I received a letter from the Illinois Public Health Department asking me if I wanted to join a study. They offered me money for an interview and more for a blood sample. I think I blogged this but the saga goes on. I then got a follow up letter. I ignored both of them.
Then I received a phone call from a chickie who, originally identified herself as from the U of I. Asking me why I didn't want to respond to the letters. I cut her off at the knees. Ask how she got my name, etc. She said that they were exempt and got all the info from the hospitals about patients, her words, "You know, like, chicken pox and bird flu." I did tell her that cancer was sort of in a different catagory from those diseases.
Imagine, OMG, I saw Cancer Dorothy, in town yesterday. Hide your daughters!!!!!!!
So today I talked to the doctor about this mess. And he got action and I got answers. It seems that thru a Federal program the Illinois Public Health Dept. and, perhaps the Health Dept. in your state is exempt from HIPAA (look it up). They are privy to any and all of your information from any and all of the hospitals in your state, in spite of what privacy papers you sign when you check in, for any procedure. So be aware.
I do not mind if my case history is used, with my permission, because if I can help just one women it is worth it, right? But my name is mine, just mine.
To that end, I intend to write any congressman I can find, the governor, my alderman, the church, the Cancer Society. Why do these people want me????? I was told today that they probably picked me because I was a "healthy" cancer patient. Apparently, there aren't many. My vitals are steady, weight is steady, I exercise 5 times a week, walk 4 miles a day, have lots of interests, yada, yada. But, you know, MY NAME!
Let us just see what comes of it. I will certainly report if any of these people get back to me. Just beware, any of you, who have the misfortune to go thru this-----------------it won't matter what you sign when you check in you will lose you name. It will be reported and you may be harassed to join a study. Follow your heart and don't let anyone push you around. It is your life. You manage it. Not some university or public health official.
Wasn't it Cher who said, no, no, she said "Just Do It", right. Who said "Just Say No"? I think that was a President's wife but it is late and I don't want to look it up. You do it and let me know. Anyway say no and take charge of your treatment and you life.
I love you all. And thanks for reading this drivel.
dallie
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