Chemo Myths Debunked

I am the Great Debunker of Chemo Myths. I'm like the Amazing Randi of tumor treatments. Allow me to explain.

Myth #1 - Chemo Makes You Lose Weight

Not always. Since about my junior year of high school, I weighed between 170 and 175 lbs. I dipped down to about 160 after having a foot of colon removed when I was 38, but I quickly bounced back to my normal level, and stayed there until very recently. Last Fall, I began to add pounds, and inches, while on chemo. A couple months ago I topped out at 191. Some of that was probably the lack of exercise, not the chemo directly, but still.

I'm on my way back to my comfort zone, with the latest weigh-ins tallying somewhere in the low 180's.

Myth #2 - Chemo Make You Lose Your Hair

Certainly not all chemo causes hair loss. I never lost a lock during my first year and half of various treatments. And I was thinning in October, when I decided to take things into my own hands, literally, and shave off what was left. In retrospect, I probably could've gotten away with a good buzz cut. But that's not exactly the myth-busting part.

It's my eyelashes. Some of you know that what my genes lack in cancer-fighting ability, they more than made up for in long, thick lashes. But post chemo, something weird happened. My lashes are even longer. So much so that I now can't wear my glasses without my lashes feeling like a vertical windshield wiper, gliding along the inside of the lenses. I've had random people comment about my lashes a half dozen times in the last two weeks. I'm thinking about trimming them. I'll leave the ear and nose hair au natural, but I must manscape my mascara-less filamentous biomaterial.


I know, that's just two myths. Everything else you've heard about chemo is true. Or is it?

Feel free to post your own stories about chemo surprises, or ask me if I've ever experienced something you've heard about. See that way this can be a two way conversation.

PS - Shout out to my favorite members of the diplomatic corps. It was great to see you this weekend, sad reason notwithstanding.