The whole episode is being shown now: http://www.nbc.com/farrahs-story/vid...s/#vid=1105050

I just read an article on the story in the L.A. Times this morning. It apparently is not exactly the kind of story Farah would have wanted. It was too much of a documentary. It also didn't put enough emphasis on treatment, etc. And that she would not have wanted the portion done with her son in leg irons visiting her, etc.

I don't know but it was an eye opening story at any rate.

They are re running it right now on Oxygen channel.

It will be shown again:

Today 5:00 pm on MSNBC

Monday 5/18 10:00 pm and 5/19 am on BRAVO

I'm no fan of Farah's, but no matter. I found her graceful and brave. Like already said, I'm glad she found the courage to do this - whether it turned out as she would have liked or not - at least it gives the world some peek at what she's gone through.

I only wish ALL of us could afford to fight the way she has, when faced with a health issue. And I was rather put off when - way into her txs - she decides her hair is not as important as life itself.



Perhaps if she had let go of that bit of vanity sooner, her odds would have been better.

What? Brain, I seriously need you to 'splain!

I'm not really a fan either, but I truly question whether her hair has/had anything to do with her success in fighting this runaway demon!

I couldn't figure out why her hair wasn't falling out as she was being treated with chemotherapy. But, as it went on, I think it was because of the kind of chemotherapy she was having toward the end is why it did fall out. It must have been a really aggressive kind. I know there are different ones. JMO

The chemo she took earlier wasn't as strong, but the latter was much stronger. Her hair has always been a staple and sometimes I think we just want to hold on a little longer to even the smallest of things no matter how vain it may seem. I think it was good to see she is human and had some vanity. Let's face it, she is thought of as one of the most beautiful women in the world.

I remember when Jim received his first chemo treatment. He had his hair, 14 inches cut off for Locks of Love. He loved his hair and was very proud. He refused to watch it fall out. My uncle, in his last months hated watching his hair (which was his "staple") fall out every time he took a shower. He too had it shaved off because it broke his heart. He would tell me on the phone how it hurt him to lose that. He was dying, he knew that. But he didn't want to let go of that one thing. I totally understood why.

So, I think it's personal for each person. I didn't get put off at all by her thinking about her hair. I think she knew it was vain but didn't care and I like that.

Her treatments in Germany cost $500. Here in the US, $5000+. Saw that on the news today. She went to Germany because they are not hounded by the FDA and she could get treatments not available here like stem cell therapy. I know if I had the money I'd be in Germany or wherever to get treatments if it gave me a chance at survival.

When my dh had chemotherapy last year for his colorectal cancer, it was a very strong and very aggressive treatment for six months. But he didn't lose his hair. It was because of the kind it was. So I think it depends a lot sometimes not just on how strong it is, but the kind of drugs that are being used also. They told him before hand he wouldn't lose his hair. He wouldn't have minded though.

But I am certainly no expert, but just have had this one experience.

It's such an individual struggle, everyone reacts differently. I'm so thankful that we have the treatments available that we do.

But I know when you are going through it, you just feel that you are losing so much and maybe even your life... so I can see why you might want to hold onto at least something... anything.....

AMN - what Kitt said. Farah opted for weaker doses that would spare her hair, at least until later on when everything seemed to be failing.

To be fair, I missed the first few minutes of the show, but wasn't this colon cancer? Didn't they say she only had a couple months to live and it was a rather aggresive thing?


I'm just saying, if it were me, no way am I putting hair in the way of getting better. To me, that's like being too vain to give up a breast rather than try to survive breast cancer.

I'm not dissing her, really. I'm just surprised, no matter who she is, that that was so important. I never would have thought it. Huh.



Sandy - Germany does a lot medically they can't do here. If I could afford it, I could have spinal surgery there that they did trials on here, but my ins will not pay for and no docs will do. But then, do Germans sue like we do?

I had been kicking myself for missing this documentary. I am glad it is playing more than once so I will get a chance to see for myself.

re: the hair stuff. Maybe, just maybe, keeping her hair was a sort of denial that this cancer was so bad that a little chemo would not stop it rather than the big dose. It is like putting drain cleaner in one's system, can't be a very encouraging thing to do.

I don't know, really. Never had chemo and certainly sounds like not all chemo's are the same.

But I am glad this thread was started. I did want to see it. I remember when her bathing suit poster came out. I was a young teen. I thought she was pretty. Charlie's Angels was about FASHION for me, what are the latest trends. The action and plot? Didn't care! It was about hair do's and clothes!

Yes, I could be that shallow...I was a teenager, not this wise old woman you know today.