Playing my Cancer Card!

Wigs: $1000

Out-of-pocket medication costs: $7,000

Childcare costs for 18 months+ $15,000, $20,000

Use of Your Cancer Card to get out of a ticket when pulled over, bald, by an office of the law:
PRICELESS


THE CANCER CARD:

Here are a few rules to keep in mind:
1- Your membership begins the day you are diagnosed
2- It is nontransferable.
3- There is no annual charge, interest rate, or debt.
4- You may swipe your card freely, but we urge you to use some discretion. Tragically the card can be declined.

Best Shopping therapy Purchase with my cancer card: This would have to be my wigs! The day it was confirmed that I would need chemo and would lose my hair, because the cancer had spread to lymph nodes and was invasive, I immediately bought two really nice blonde wigs. I picked them and paid for them within an hour of this news. I got a shoulder length dirty blonde one and a very long super blonde one. ( the color of blonde that I never dared to bleach mine to:))Within an hour of that purchase, my boss gave me a $1000 cheque, not knowing about the recent therapy purchase.
It was the best $1000 I ever spent on therapy. I hardly ever wore the wigs, I actually ended up preferring going bald, but I had no idea how I would feel losing my life long mane of hair that I was so defined and recognized by. I thought my hair really defined me and my confidence, but I was happy to realize I never missed it, never shed a tear and was thrilled to know that my inner confidence prevailed!
Knowing the wigs were there if I needed them, or if I’d miss having long hair, as I got mine cut off and then weeks later had it fall out in hand-fulls, right before Chris took the electric razor to it in the back yard; they gave me peace of mind whe I needed it in the beginning. They helped take away the fear that I was worried I might have with losing my hair. They were my safety net, just in case I had terrible anxiety over my hair loss. But it never happened, perhaps because of the wigs and perhaps because I was much stronger and more confident than I realized. Either way I never have regretted the purchase, even though I only wore them a dozen times or so.

Best Swipe of my cancer card: Getting out of a traffic violation ticket in downtown Vancouver right before Christmas. I turned left on a no turning left street, the officer was just waiting for someone like me to do this. He wasn’t counting on a young mom, bald, with two little ones in car seats. He asked where my hair went when looking at my driver’s licence full-head of hair. I said, “ I lost it to chemo therapy, for fighting my second fight with breast cancer.” These are your children mame?” “Yes sir, They are 2 and 4, they were only 1 and 3 when I was diagnosed this time.” “Did you see the huge signs mame, saying don’t turn left?” “ No sir, I was distracted, you can imagine I have a lot on my mind. I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.” “ Watch for the signs Mame, and good luck.” WHEW!!

Declined: I think because I haven’t over used my cancer card it hasn’t been declined. Though lately I’m finding it much harder to get babysitters when I want them on short notice, even when I’m paying them really well!