Amy Dowden has shared a video with her followers to give an update on how she’s coping during her cancer treatment, recalling how ‘distraught’ she has felt over her hair loss.
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00:00 Hello everyone, I think it's been probably a week since I've come on and spoke to you
00:05 so I thought I'd get lots of messages asking how I am so thank you so much for the way
00:09 for all those. So I thought I'd come on and update you all. The third cycle of chemo has
00:16 definitely been my best one so far because obviously cycle one ended up in hospital,
00:21 infection and dysepsis. Number two cycle ended up with free blood clots and this one, no
00:28 hospital admissions, just had the usual side effects from chemo so very grateful for that.
00:35 Obviously not grateful for the side effects but very happy I didn't end up in hospital.
00:39 But like the symptoms I got was like sickness which I always get because I'm quite a sicky
00:44 person in general because of my Crohn's. Obviously more hair loss. I can't now leave the house
00:51 without something on the top of my head because unfortunately quite bald on top. I've had
00:58 a hired nurse and this time my mouth ulcers were definitely worse. But saying that, I
01:05 was only a couple of days at home. I feel like I recovered, got back on my feet quite
01:11 quickly and I'm really grateful for that. So I have another EC, the red devil. My last
01:18 one of them hopefully on Thursday and then I'll go on to a new chemo. So that's obviously
01:25 quite daunting because I've kind of got used to this chemo and now I don't know what side
01:30 effects I'm going to get from that one. But I will go in as positive as I possibly can
01:37 and very grateful to have my family and friends all around me. But last week I did get to
01:45 the NTAs and it was just so good to be there and to feel the adrenaline when they said
01:50 Strictly Come Dancing, one to be around everybody from Strictly. Yeah, very grateful I was able
01:57 to go there. So that was just lovely.
02:00 And last week my twin sister Rebecca took the week off work to look after me for the
02:03 week because I had chemo the Thursday before. And it was just really lovely to spend some
02:08 quality time with Bex. So yes, obviously I'm trying to make the most of the next few days.
02:17 I'm going to be at the hospital tomorrow. Then I have Wednesday and then you kind of
02:21 like know then Thursday, you kind of know. I'm going to start to feel sick again, not
02:25 great. But I can say on Thursday, fingers crossed, that I'm halfway through chemo. So
02:34 I'm also loving this. This is from Amber. I'm the most lovely, lovely lady. Can't wait
02:44 to share more. But yeah, she's just the most beautiful human.
02:48 So many message asking me how am I coping with the hair loss? And I'm not going to lie.
02:57 It's really, really hard. And I don't I think I cry a little less now to begin with like
03:04 every day. But now I have meltdowns when I wash my hair once a week. But kind of got
03:13 myself into that. I'm not brushing my hair anymore. Ben brushes it for me. He gets rid
03:18 of the hair that's come out. And so I'm not aware of it anymore. Like I obviously am aware
03:23 of it, but I'm not physically seeing or holding the hair I'm losing. And that for me is helping
03:28 me big time because if I took my scarf off, you'll see there's hardly anything left. But
03:34 it's OK because I keep telling myself like Tom Hanks says, this too shall pass. And here's
03:43 amazing wigs. I got this lovely headscarf, obviously. But yeah, I think for the last
03:49 two weeks now, I haven't brushed my hair. And that has definitely helped. Yeah, since
03:55 I come out of hospital with the blood clots, I stopped brushing it myself because I was
04:00 just getting distraught when I'd see how much was falling out. And that's seen that for
04:07 sure has helped me. But this is definitely the hardest part for me personally. And you
04:15 know, keeping this, just having a little bit of hair helps me. And I keep putting on a
04:21 headpiece or a hat for me. I've still got a little bit of hair. And that just personally
04:25 helps me. And everybody is on their own journey and no one should be judged for it. They should
04:31 be supported. But yeah, right now, I'm not ready to brave the shade. I'm not saying I
04:37 will get to that point. But right now, I'm not there. And a lot of people send messages,
04:42 just shave your hair. But I'm just not ready yet. Spoken enough now, so I'm going to go.
04:47 But I'll keep you posted on how I go tomorrow and if I get to have chemo on Thursday. And
04:53 thank you again for all the messages. Honestly, I am like the world's worst right now to reply
04:57 to anyone. So I do apologize. And all my friends and my family are like, "Amy!" But yeah, thank
05:06 you so much. It really does mean an awful lot. I'm sending lots of love. I'm sending
05:09 lots of love and strength to everybody else going through similar journeys or, you know,
05:16 or need love right now. And I'll speak to you guys soon.
05:19 [BLANK_AUDIO]