Goodbye Hair

For the past several days, I've experienced the worst side effects of chemo. Chunks of my hair have fallen out, and my scalp has been very itchy and extremely tender. The only thing that temporary alleviates this pain is oxycontin, which I'm sure the doctors do not approve of. .

The reason that this is happening is because the drug targets both cancer cells & healthy cells. The hair follicles are destroyed, and are unable to divide as normal to produce hair cells. As the hair continues to fall out, the scalp is less protected from environmental factors, further irritating the skin. Not all individuals who undergo chemo necessarily lose their hair, and it depends on the type and dose given. I just happen to be one of the lucky ones.

Due to the excessive annoyance of having my hair fall out and the severe scalp pain, I bit the bullet and had my wonderful barber (my sister) shave it all off. I'm glad that I ended up doing it because my head definitely feels much better now. It does make me sad not having hair, but since I've been through this before, it's not as devastating or traumatic. Plus, I know that this is temporary, and that my hair will grow back in full force. I already brought out my wigs, hats, and bandannas, so despite not having hair, I'll still be looking super chic this summer.

On that note, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Thank you to all the men and women who are serving or have served in the armed forces. It is because of your sacrifices that I am able to enjoy our freedoms that is unparalleled to anywhere else in the world.

I decided to have some fun and had my sister give me a mohawk. She did a great job! 

Cycle 1 - H2O

The most noticeable thing that has changed with my taste buds is water. During the first few days of chemo, I was able to drink water only if it was flavored. However, towards the last days, I found it impossible to drink water as it has a really yucky metallic taste. The exact reason isn't quite clear, but it's believed to be the result of the damage to the oral cavity cells. And so to remedy this situation, I ended up diluting everything with juice.

You're probably wondering why is it important to drink lots of water? Having my body hydrated allows the organs to function better. This is critical since many of the organ and its systems work together to filter and remove waste and toxins from the body. In addition, drinking plenty of water reduces the side effects of the chemo drugs. Contrary to belief, it does not dilute the chemo in your system, and cause the drug to lose its ability to kill cancer cells. 

Natural Homemade Infused Water 

• Citrus slices (lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange)
• Muddled herbs (ginger, mint, lemongrass, rosemary, parsley)
• Cucumbers slices
• Crushed berries (raspberry, blueberries, strawberries, cranberry, pomegranate) 
• Fruit slices/chunks (apple, kiwi, pineapple, watermelon, mango, cantaloupe, honeydew, cherries) 
• Edible flowers (lavender)

Directions

1. Fill up cup/pitcher with ice water. 
2. Add in desired fruit and/or herbs (may be fresh/frozen). 
3. Refrigerate to allow maximal infusion. 

If you're feeling more adventurous, try these combinations: 

• Grapefruit/orange
• Pomegranate/blueberry
• Cranberry/orange
• Lemon/ginger
• Mango/kiwi 
• Lime/mint 
• Orange/lime
• Cucumber/lime
• Cucumber/rosemary
• Grapefruit/lime/orange

Some sparkle and fun: 

• Club soda, seltzer water, tonic water, or alcohol can be used as a substitute for water. 

Welcome!

First and foremost, thank you very much for visiting my blog. This is my first time doing this, so please bear with me.

My name is Vy Nguyen, and I'm a 26 year old female living in California. I finished my undergraduate studies at UC Santa Barbara, and my graduate studies at Drexel University.

I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, monophasic synovial sarcoma on February 14, 2011 (yes, Valentine's Day). The plan was to undergo neoadjuvant treatment before surgery, and finish with additional radiation, and chemotherapy. However, I was unable to complete all of my post-operative treatments because I became severely neutropenic, and had septic shock. If you need living proof that miracles exist, me being alive is it.

Not too long after my time in the ICU, I discovered that the cancer has metasized to my lungs, and that I'll need to undergo chemotherapy treatment all over again. Hopefully, this time around will be much better than the last. Despite everything that has happened, I'm very grateful for my wonderful family, boyfriend, and friends.

I started this blog to document the changes of my taste buds as I undergo chemotherapy treatment. It's not meant to be a serious blog about my cancer, but it may change. Whatever I do end up discussing, I'll always try my best to keep it lighthearted and fun because laughing is better than the alternative.