I am proud to say that I do work with wigs. Over the past few years I have been fortunate to not only get gently used wigs but even brand new ones. The better news, is that they are free, at least the ones I have here at the institute. I wash each one as it comes in and let them air dry and then into a ziplock bag until someone gives it a home. I will pull several out (if I have the color and length) and have the patient try the wig on. We have done silly ones as well and have found that it is quite fun when you are in the midst of a difficult time. Those that have been tried on but rejected go back to my workshop where I was them again and let them air dry and follow the whole routine again. I asked a hairdresser if I was covering all the bases and she concurred that I was doing it right. You often see two or three heads of hair sitting by the sink in my office waiting to dry and to be recycled. There are a few times, that the wig may have to be retired but for the most part, I have been very fortunate in what I have received. Myself, when I was without hair during chemo, yes, I had a wig but it worked out that I only wore it about 4 times and probably not for more than a total of 60 minutes. I was more a scarf girl myself. It is so fun to have someone put the wig on and feel like that have their identity back. At this time I have about 3 totes full of wigs of various lengths, styles, colors, and sizes. I really try to get an idea of what I can bring to the table that will make the patient the most comfortable and then we try them on. Often their chemo nurse will come over and give a much needed review or nonbiased account of the current wig. Husbands and significant others seemed relieved as well as that puts their love one back to the normal they knew before all of this. This ordeal can be trying and difficult but if we can make it an adventure, then the tensions start to disappear and the smile returns. So,
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AuthorMy name is Sue Kilburn and I am a clinical nurse breast cancer educator at the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Archives
March 2015
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