My wedding is in nine weeks (December 1st) and I started chemo for breast cancer six weeks ago. It's been stressful to say the least. Dealing with the side effects of the chemo has been rough. I'm tired all the time and I've also had nausea, abdominal cramps and digestive issues. Plus I've lost five pounds.
I was trying to keep my long hair for the wedding but about a week after my second treatment I washed it and it matted up badly. My fiance and I tried for hours to get it to loosen up then I went to a hairdresser. She couldn't get it to loosen either and ended up having to cut the mats out, leaving me with about four inches of hair. She gave me a pixie cut but in the two weeks since I've lost a lot of hair and it was very noticeable. Yesterday I had to shave off what was left. It was disappointing because I wanted to have hair for the wedding. Thankfully I was able to find a beautiful human hair wig and my parents paid for it. I guess the plus side is my wedding day hair will be really easy.
Finances have been a challenge because I lost my job a week before my diagnosis. My unemployment benefits were sporadic and I had to dip into our wedding savings to pay the mortgage one month. Thankfully, I got on disability and those payments have been more reliable. Unfortunately, we just had to spend $3,000 in car repairs and we've been receiving medical bills. We have more on the credit cards and less in savings than I would like but I think we'll be okay financially.
I having been sewing my own wedding dress and thankfully today I just finished it! It's definitely a big relief. All I have left is a waistcoat for my fiance.
I wanted a bridal shower but couldn't plan it for myself and since we decided to skip on a bridal party I didn't have a maid of honor to delegate to. I posted on Facebook how disappointed I was and my friends jumped at the challenge. They have completely planned a mini spa day bridal shower with mani/pedis, facials and reflexology as well as food. I was stunned and so grateful.
I don't know what I would do without my fiance. He's been so committed and such a big support. We have been working on our wedding ceremony and vows and I shared with him a scene from "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" with the wedding of Alice and Cyrus. There was something the officiant said that I loved and I felt was really perfect. Plus my fiance loved it too. So at the end of our wedding ceremony after our vows this is what our officiant is going to say: "I believe this is the part where I am supposed to say something about 'for better or for worse, in sickness or in health' but you've already been all those things and you survived. So, I guess all that's left to say is what everyone here already knows. Michael and Rebecca, you two are now one. May you live happily ever after. You may kiss the bride."
Anyway, I just wanted to give you ladies an update.