Aleida Rodriguez, 42, of Phoenix, Arizona, isn’t one of those breast cancer survivors who thinks of her cancer as a blessing. If she could magically go back and never have had breast cancer, she would. But she learned a lot through her experience and believes now that things happened in the way they were supposed to.

Rodriguez remembers the day vividly.  “It was March 19, 2008. I’ll never forget the date,” she says. “At about 4:45 in the afternoon I was getting ready to go home from work. My phone rang. It was the doctor. I had breast cancer. The doctor asked me if I had any questions. I didn’t at the time. I couldn’t think of what to ask.”

In April, Rodriguez had a lumpectomy, but it didn’t remove all of the cancer, so she had a mastectomy. In May, her doctor put in a temporary implant, and in June, after talking to 4 different oncologists, she began chemotherapy.

Rodriguez had 4 chemotherapy sessions over the course of 3 months. During that time, she lost her long, brown curly hair – something she says was the most difficult part of the experience.

“My hair is part of my identity. I had had long hair for as long as I could remember. Before the chemotherapy, I cut it short so losing it wouldn’t be as traumatic,” she says.

Prior to the chemotherapy, she got a wig …  “I wore the wig and scarves. I also tried to wear makeup and jewelry …”  Other than the hair loss, Rodriguez tolerated the chemotherapy well.

Now, more than 2 years later, Rodriguez says she is still emotional about the experience, but feels things were meant to happen the way they did.

“My husband and I cried a lot going through this – the initial shock of the news, the lumpectomy, the mastectomy, the scans, the chemotherapy, the reconstruction, and the uncertainty that accompanied it all,” Rodriguez says. “But I’ve met some wonderful people: doctors, nurses, volunteers – people it seems who were put on this earth to do what they do for others.”

Her hair is almost completely back to the length it was before chemotherapy. And she and her husband are planning an anniversary trip to Spain that they had to put off because of her treatment.

“I wish I had never become a member of the breast cancer club,” Rodriguez says. “But I’m in it now. I’m a survivor. And things are alright.”

Cited from www.cancer.org

Article date: August 18, 2010

As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year! (May and October) Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs.

Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. The wigs couldn’t be washed, so to clean them they could carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term “big wig.” Today we often use the term “here comes the Big Wig” because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.

Melanie Winderlich in her article called Wigs Can Help Boost A Cancer Patient’s Self-Esteem After Losing Hair During Treatment says,

“Wearing a wig, or hair prosthesis, may help you feel like your old self again. Wigs for cancer patients can offer a sense of empowerment during a very scary, uncontrollable time.”

Winderlich also gives 4 buying tips if you are looking for a wig.

1. Start Early – Try matching your wig to your natural hair color
2. Ask An Expert – The Wig Shak specializes in wigs for cancer patients
3. Check Your Insurance – Wigs are a tax deductible medical expense
4. Seek Support – Knowing that you are not alone in your journey is half the battle.

At the Wig Shak at Sizzor Shak, we strive to make your experience the most comfortable possible. We understand that this can be a rough journey & we want to be right there to help you feel as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside.

To read the rest of Winderlich’s article, please click here.

During a break in the day, I approached Karen to introduce myself. “Your hairstyle is terrific,” I told her. “I work in a salon and I have to tell you that your cut really complements your face. You have a great look.” She thanked me and we continued to talk about the camp and her role as a hospice volunteer for a local hospital.

Later on, Karen and I found ourselves together again in working on a craft activity for the camp. I made another comment about her great hairstyle. She smiled and said, “I’ll let you in on a secret – it’s a wig.” And she went on to tell me her story…

I lost my father to pancreatic cancer in 1954 when he was only 37 years old, and I was only 9 years old. A few years later, alopecia areata came along and claimed most of my beautiful naturally curly auburn hair. The only psychologist in the small town where we lived advised my mother that it was a delayed reaction to my father’s death. My high school years are extremely painful memories due to my appearance and lack of confidence caused by my drastic, but thankfully not total, hair loss. Fortunately for me, one of my high school teachers suggested to my mother and me that I should wear a wig to improve my appearance which would greatly enhance my ability to have a successful career in life. My teacher’s wife, who was a cosmetologist, did all the research, made all the arrangements, and they drove my mother and me to St. Louis to purchase my first hair prosthesis. From that day forward, my appearance, self-esteem and life changed drastically for the better.

Karen went on after high school to be a court reporter, a career that required her to be up in front of a lot of people. She says she could have never done a job like that had it not been for her teacher’s help with her appearance. Today, she volunteers with adults and children who have lost a loved one, she writes about grief and healing for different publications, and she also works with stray rescue.

Karen has several wigs – she told me that she has an extra one just for her kick boxing class. She has purchased the brands Jon Reneau, Rene of Paris, Noriko, and Raquel Welch – all brands that we carry at the Wig Shak in Collinsville (Metro East St. Louis area)! And she has had a great result with them. As she stated earlier, having a hair prosthesis not only enhanced her looks ( and she looks GREAT! ) , it changed her entire life. And her confidence has spilled over to benefit every person to which she has given her time and care.