Editor's Note: 7NEWS Meteorologist Pam Daale is grateful to all of the viewers who have expressed their best wishes as she wages her fight against breast cancer.

Daale has chosen to use TheDenverChannel.com as her way of keeping the public updated on her health. New journal entries will be posted weekly.

BREAST CANCER See Pam's Story Her Struggle From Her Husband's Perspective Pam's Last Chemo Treatment E-Mail Pam Spread Word Survival Stories Myths and Facts Cancer Quiz Risk Factors SELF-EXAM How To Do It Diagrams How Do You Check? How Often? ARTICLES: Fitness Center For Patients WEB RESOURCES: Susan. G. Komen Foundation National Alliance Of Breast Cancer Organizations Breast Cancer Info National Breast Cancer Organization National Breast Cancer Coalition

It may seem like I'm obsessed with my hair (or lack thereof!), but yes, I'm writing about it again. In fact, I'm growing out what's left of it.

Actually, it should more accurately be referred to as "peach fuzz", kind of like the hair my kids had when they were born. Although when my dad saw me without my thick locks for the first time, he declined the offer to pet my peach fuzz. Does that mean I'm not his little girl any more?

Actually I don't blame him. It may look like peach fuzz, but if feels more like steel wool! The chemo couldn't kill ALL of my hair, but it has severely distressed what's left. But I'm growing it out anyway. When I first shaved my head we left about an inch of what was left. At the time I thought it looked goofy, but then it was a totally new look for me.

After about a week of inch-long hair I decided to totally shave it down to the scalp. You have to remember, that even at one inch, there was very little hair still left. But now that I have the benefit of living without hair for a few months, I'm realizing what feels good and what doesn't.

The nubbies growing back in after it was shaved DIDN'T feel good. That's one of the things that annoys me about the whole hair thing. If it's going to jump ship, why doesn't it ALL go. Where's the "all or nothing" mentality?! I digress.... So, the nubbies rubbed everything the wrong way. I could have kept shaving it to nothing, but taking a razor over my scalp was a little scary, especially since I heard a woman relay a story of being sent to the hospital because of a paper cut! And the electric razor thing was a little too weird.

So now I'm growing it, and it's about a half-inch long. I did go through a stage at about a quarter inch where it gave me an irritated feeling, like it was growing the wrong way. I was tempted to shave it again at that point, but decided to hang tough and see what happened.

Now at one-half inch, it isn't bothered by my caps, and it doesn't get that funny "wrong way" feeling. My kids say it looks funny, but they're the only ones besides my husband who ever see me without a cap. All I want is to be comfortable, and a little longer seems to be where it's at. Even so, I still don't miss the muss and fuss of a full head of the stuff!

My eyebrows are all but gone, so I've become an eyebrow artist. The trick is getting both sides to look the same. I try not to be in a hurry applying the eyebrow pencil because if I'm not paying attention, I can go around with this one-eyebrow-up skeptical look all day.

Applying mascara was an exercise in futility a long time ago, so I gave it up for false lashes, but only on special occasions. The false lashes look fine, but I've found that eyeliner on the top and bottom lash lines looks okay too. Liner is a lot easier and faster to apply, and it makes my eyes stand out more than going without anything! Ah, the follies (follicles?) of a woman without hair!

Now on to real health issues. Because we were going to Iowa the next week, I was given a shot to help boost my white blood cells immediately after my last chemo treatment. I had a blood test this week which showed low blood counts, but not so low that needed shots. If I could have, I would have done a little dance!

I've come to really dislike the Neulasta and Neupogin shots. Not only do they hurt when they're injected, but the last time I had the two together my teeth hurt so bad I couldn't chew! Not that that's a problem. I don't have a type of cancer and treatment that makes me lose weight, so a cutback on calorie intake for me isn't a bad thing! Hopefully my counts will still be good enough to allow my next treatment on Tuesday (7th).

Okay, now it's time for a reality check. When's the last time you did a self breast exam? If you're reading my journals you'd better not say "hmmm, can't remember"! So until next time, keep getting to know your breasts!

Pam Daale
The Happy Cancer Patient