Angelique ▶ GA

Angelique | Georgia
Age: 60
Diagnosis: Breast Cancer
Chemotherapy: Taxol
Total Treatments: 12 
Infusion Center: Piedmont Cancer Institute 

Tell us about yourself.
I am a retired US Air Force pilot, currently working as an advisor at a local flight school. Recent empty nesters, my husband and I are active in our church and are regulars at the gym.

How did you find out about DigniCap?
I learned about scalp cooling from a fellow cancer survivor at church, and specifically about DigniCap from my oncologist who told me DigniCap worked well with the type of treatment I would get.

“Even those who know me well often forgot I was undergoing treatment. For me, that was a blessing!”

Did you have a successful experience using DigniCap?
It seemed like the decisions immediately following my breast cancer diagnosis were endless! Some were medically critical, others cosmetic, but every procedure would require no small amount of discomfort, healing, and expense. DigniCap was no exception, but I am so thankful to have said yes to this treatment! Despite losing most of my eyebrows and lashes following my last chemo session, I actually lost less hair on my head on a daily basis than I was losing since I reached menopause.

Why was trying to keep your hair during chemotherapy important to you?
The decision to try DigniCap was driven mostly by wanting to “look normal” for my daughter’s high school graduation–my last chemo session was scheduled for the week before her ceremony. Throughout I found the sense of normalcy keeping my hair gave me was comforting during a time when not much else was “normal”.

How did keeping your hair affect you, and those around you?
Keeping my hair allowed me, and those around me, to focus on life rather than my diagnosis or treatment. Even those who know me well often forgot I was undergoing treatment. For me, that was a blessing!

What advice would you give to someone who is going through a similar experience, or who has recently been diagnosed and is considering scalp cooling?
Using DigniCap is a process, and I’m sure everyone has their own tips for making it bearable, but here are mine. I looked as if I was going on a 2-week vacation each time I went to the infusion center–roller board suitcase, over-the-shoulder DigniCap bag, frozen mittens and booties for neuropathy, water bottle, graham crackers, and the critical piece of equipment — a heated vest! I started with a sleeping bag which I opened up and laid on the recliner. Then wearing the battery-operated vest, I covered myself with a heated lap blanket–these I didn’t turn on until the cooling began about half an hour before chemo started. Once the nurse got the cap on, I hit the restroom–with all the fluids going in, that was a must. Finally settled with the cap beginning to cool, I felt like I had ice cream brain freeze all over my head–this lasted for less than 10 minutes, then there was no discomfort! One of the tricks to making the brain freeze more bearable was to press my tongue into the roof of my mouth and sometimes I would nibble on graham crackers (not sure if either of those relieved discomfort or just distracted me, but they worked). As you might imagine the DigniCap and frozen mittens/booties made me very cold, that’s where the heated vest and blanket, plus the sleeping bag to wrap up in, made all the difference. My first treatment with only the heated blanket was miserable–during the eleven subsequent treatments, I was able to nap! After a couple of treatments, set up was easy, the ritual almost comforting, and the results well worth it. I highly recommend DigniCap.