Cancer Rebel. This was me 3 years ago. My hair grew back WHITE!

My hair started to grow back during taxol. It was WHITE!

3 years ago today I was in cancer rebel mode.

This time three years ago, my hair was starting to grow back. The first centimetre was snow white. It’s quite a common chemo thing, apparently. The first post chemo hair can be translucent. Absolutely no pigment. It was strange, but I was so happy to take a step towards some kind of normality.

At this point in my treatment, I was on taxol. A weekly chemo, which I found a million times easier than FEC. To start with, it felt like a holiday. The first 24 hours, I would feel woozy and spaced out. Sleepy and a bit dizzy. But no nausea with this one. THANK F! And most of the time I felt fine.

But three quarters of the way through the 3 month treatment plan, my body rebelled. My white blood cell count started to drop and I limped towards the finish line, completely exhausted.

Taxol can cause peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage, usually to hands and feet). I did my best to dodge it with frozen mitts and socks during each treatment. I think I got away with it, although I do wonder if my ongoing foot issues are a delayed response … who knows!

At this point 2 years ago, my oncologist told me to take it easy. It’s one of the only times I didn’t listen to medical advice. I was so over it all. I just wanted to feel normal. To stop being a cancer patient.

So I got on my bike and pedaled.

Up big hills.

Slowly.

But I so needed it.

I needed to feel like me!

Sometimes heart rules over head.

Cancer rebel.

Ps I don’t recommend ignoring your doctor or you body :)

I was tired by the last few taxol treatments. My white blood cell count tanked.

Exercise during cancer treatment made me feel normal