Hello there!

Just wanted to drop by for a quick hello! Raul and I are on our way to the Magpantay's for Poker night. Wish me luck ;)

I'm 8 months post chemo :)

Blog Makeover

I think it's about that time again... time for a blog makeover, that is. How do you like the new look? I'm not too sure if I like it. I did add "labels" on the left side, so you can easily just click what you want to read about.

That's all for now. I have to cook dinner =)

New Shades

I did it! I've replaced my Coach Alicia sunglasses with a pair of Marc Jacobs. I had my Coach sunglasses since 2007 (when I worked at Prime Eye Care in Phoenix, AZ) and kept it in good condition. For four years, I wore it almost every day. My eyes are very sensitive to sunlight and I need sunglasses when driving during the day time. I purchased a cheap pair from Nordstrom ($20) just to give the Coach a little break, but I always go back to wearing them. It really is an irreplaceable pair. Then I noticed that most of my pictures taken outdoors are of those with the same pair on, from 2007-2011. So, I did it... I replaced my Coach... and to make sure I'll never go back to them, I sold them on Ebay for $41.50. It was the hardest decision I've ever made because I really love that pair and Marina gave me a good deal on them, but I just had to let it go or else I'll wear 'em until I lose or break 'em. So, farewell Alicia! And hello Marc!

By the way, this is my 100th post. Yippeee!!!! Oh, and this is three days in a row for 2012. I'm on a roll =)

Here's one of many pictures with my Coach Alicia sunglasses on:

Here's my new pair of Marc Jacobs:

I got it at Nordstrom Rack for $38, but only paid $13 because my Dad gave me a $25 gift card.

P.S.
To my friend, Marina:
I got your Christmas card in the mail yesterday.
Thank you =D

To Diane aka "Princess Diane"
I miss you! And thanks for reading my blah, blah, blah... I mean, blogs =D

More on Hair...

It's 11 pm and my husband caught me searching for more websites on hair growth after chemo. I am obsessed with my hair! Anyway, I want to share some tips on growing hair after chemo. Use sulfate-free products. Visit a hair specialty store, such as Planet Beauty or Naimie's, and ask for sulfate-free products. Do not go to a salon, because they will sell you expensive, brand name shampoos. Trust me, I've used Paul Mitchell and it made my hair very dry. Same thing with Enjoy. Kiehl's from Nordstrom is good, but I'm not sure if it's sulfate free. The one I'm currently using is made by DSLaboraties. I bought the shampoo for $27 at Planet Beauty. They also have the conditioner, but my wallet was running on "E" that day. Sales associates will also try to sell you supplements, but I don't think it's a good idea even if they say that they're all "natural." Because you just have gone through chemotherapy, you're body is immunosuppressed and you don't want to take something that is not prescribed by your doctor. Plus, if you're on at least 10 different medications like me, I'm sure you don't want to add to that list. My second advice is, don't use any gel or hair spray. Your new hair is very thin at first and you want to avoid breakage by not using products, such as gel. Take care of your baby hair like you would a baby's hair. Hahaha! Does that make sense? And here's my last advice, when you shampoo and condition your hair, massage your scalp gently. This stimulates hair growth. Hope this helps. Love the new "you" and be patient...

Happy 2012

It's a new year and I wish you all good health! I started the year by celebrating my parents' 35th wedding anniversary and surprising my husband with birthday cards and a new Calvin Klein (his favorite brand) shirt. Also, Danica is 11 months old today. Ahhhh... she's growing too fast!

Anyway, I got a lot of things done today. Celebrated Raul's birthday, ordered Danica's cake (can't wait to show you guys!), got groceries for the week, picked up Danica's birthday invites, cooked dinner... to make a long story short, I did it all and I am tired!

Let's switch to a different subject, shall we. I've been googling "post chemo hair" and found several sites where women posted pictures of their hair growth and blogged about their chemo experience. I thought it was a great idea and very brave of them to share their head shots online for others to view. Most of the sites I found are of women who went through chemotherapy due to breast cancer. I, on the other hand, did it in preparation for Bone Marrow Transplant. I received Fludarabine for 4 days and the 5th day I had Melphalan (the one that caused my hair to fall out and made me really sick). Basically, all my blood cells were killed using these Chemo drugs to make room for my donor's bone marrow cells.

I wish to contribute to the "post chemo hair" search on google. So, here goes.... Before chemo, I had long hair (past my shoulders). Any girl would agree that losing hair is the hardest part of going through chemo. When my doctor told me that I will lose my hair, I cried. And he said, "It's just hair, Leica, it will grow back." Well, to me, it's not "just hair" ... it's "my hair" ... "my long hair." I started growing peach fuzz about a month after chemo, then the following month it turned black (my natural color), but the growth was uneven. I had a bald spot on the front for a while. It wasn't until the fourth month when everything finally evened out and I decided to wear it in public without any wig or scarf. Yup, I got people staring at me because I looked like a boy with make-up on. I felt so ugly. Not only did I have super short hair, I was also fat due to steroids (Prednisone). I ran into a co-worker while doing some shopping and she said, "You look so... " and I said, "different?" .... she said, "wide." HAHA! Damn Prednisone!!! Back to my hair growth. I'm now seven months post chemo and my hair is longer. I've learned to like the new me. The new me is a stronger person, healthier, more outspoken, brave, energetic. I always tell people that I look different because I am a different person. I may not be attractive (and I'm not saying I used to look like J. Lo... HAHAHA), but I'm alive and enjoying life with my family and friends.

Post chemo hair growth is different for everyone. If the google search engine brought you here on my blog, you're lucky because I've decided to release some photos (HAHAHA). I hope you found my contribution helpful. Here's to give you an idea on how hair will grow after chemo:

5 months post chemo:

six months post chemo:

(with my Baby Danica and cousin Chelsea)

seven months post chemo:

before chemo:

So there you have it... I'm currently seven months post chemo and I have cute little curls on the back and the side. HAHA! As a new year's resolution, I will update my blog more often and take more pictures to share. If you haven't yet... follow me =)

Have a blessed 2012. LIVE, LOVE and LAUGH!