I am 30 years old and was diagnosed with breast cancer, specifically invasive ductal carcinoma. Before my diagnosis, I didn't even know what that meant. Now I have been forced into a reality where I not only know what it means but my doctors appointments and daily thoughts are filled with other previously unfamiliar words like neoadjuvant therapy, metastases, HER2 and triple negative.

I started this blog in hopes that some of the information I share may be helpful to other young women in a similar situation. Rather than posting my day to day experiences, feelings and progress, I plan to share some of the things I have learned along the way. Being dealt this hand in life at 30 years old brings with it some unique issues and questions. Will I ever have kids? How will this affect my relationships with my husband and friends? What is my long term prognosis?

Through this site you may find that my way of dealing with things is a bit different. I want to be educated about my disease and take an active role in my treatment and recovery. I want to understand every part of my pathology report, what it means, and feel confident that my doctors are recommending the best course of action. At each stage in my journey, I have experienced challenges with finding answers to my questions and ensuring that the medical professionals treating me really understand who I am and why my way of dealing with this disease may be unlike other women. My hope is that people will be able to relate to my experiences, learn from them and find some comfort that they are not alone.

Sunday, 20 December 2015

Lashing Out

I am now 2 months post chemo and my eyelashes and eyebrows are back! My eyelashes are almost longer than they were before chemo thanks to Latisse. I have been using it since approximately 1 month after chemo ended, when I started to notice some re-growth. According to the aesthetician where I bought it, there is no point in starting until some re-growth is visible as it will not work.

This product claims to help you grow longer and thicker lashes within 16 weeks and is actually a version of a glaucoma drug in eye drop form called bimatoprost. Some people say that it can change the colour of your eyes but based on what I was told, that would only happen if you put the drops directly into your eyes for a prolonged period. So don't do that! Simply follow the instructions and hopefully it works as well for you as it did for me. I did not need a prescription and got it from a local "medical spa". Here is some additional information:

http://www.latisse.com/WhatToExpect.aspx

Tip: You can also use it off-label on your eyebrows to help speed up re-growth. 

 I don't usually endorse products like this but from what I have read, Latisse appears to be safe, as long as it is used as directed. The box that I bought lasts around 2-3 months and I likely won't continue it after that but for a time when all I wanted to do was hide out in my house and avoid any mirrors, it gave me the push I needed to go back out in public and keep living my life. I never thought being able to put on mascara again would make me so happy!
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