Week 4 of Brain Cancer Radiation: Hair Loss, Creativity & Falling Forward
Falling Forward | Week 4 is DONE. Only two more to go. 💙
Honestly, so far, my energy levels have been pretty good. I sometimes find myself going to bed a little earlier, but the biggest change this week was definitely the Great Hair Fiasco of 2026.
Mai chopped off my hair! It’s kind of nuts. I’ve never had hair this short before. Silver lining: I guess summer would be the time to do it.
But like most problems in life, you observe what’s happening, figure out how to adapt, and keep moving forward.
Thanks to my incredible support system, I was able to find an amazing wig at Tallie Wigs, recommended by a good friend. My parents were incredibly supportive and helpful through the whole process, and another friend sent me information that may help me get insurance to cover it.
Can you believe this is a wig? Tallie Wigs (I highly recommend).
Hopefully, it all works out. And honestly? All things considered… not bad.
I also started The Artist’s Way with a group of creative friends. One unexpected thing about this chapter of my life is that I suddenly have a lot more time to create. So I’m trying to use it.
I keep reminding myself to focus on the things I can control.
That means pushing Get Reelisms forward. Writing. Raising funding. Applying for grants and fellowships. Working out. Teaching piano. Mentoring film students. Creating. Staying positive. And spending time with the amazing friends who continue to show up for me.
I’m also working on getting my driver’s license back now that I’ve officially been seizure-free for three months! Of course, nothing involving bureaucracy can ever be simple, so I’m currently navigating all the legal and medical paperwork that comes with that.
There are a few areas where I could really use help from my community:
Tumi & Me: Helping spread awareness about the project, sharing it with people who might connect with the story, or introducing me to potential investors/supporters.
Get Reelisms: Connecting me with schools, film programs, camps, or organizations with filmmaking curriculum that might consider Get Reelisms as recommended reading for their students.
Disability as a 1099/self-employed worker: This has been its own special circle of bureaucratic hell. I keep running into issues with disability because I’m self-employed, while unemployment tells me I should be on disability. If anyone has successfully navigated this situation in California—or knows someone who has—I would LOVE guidance.
My immediate goal is to raise $10K to finish shooting the Tumi & Me proof of concept in early September. The Indiegogo campaign will hopefully FINALLY go live within the next week, assuming I don’t discover another surprise hoop I have to jump through.
There are so many things right now that I cannot control.
So I’m putting my energy into the things I can.
Keep creating. Keep asking for help. Keep finding solutions. Keep showing up.
Four weeks down. Two to go.
I’m ready to tackle Week 5 with a vengeance—and get one step closer to getting my life back. 💙
Wig with a hat!