Round 1 – Fight!
Don’t let the Street Fighter shout out fool you, because today is a very big day. I thought I was done with the hard part, but I think my fight is just beginning. Waiting for the results of my surgery (on top of just healing itself) has been a long journey, but not knowing whether or not I would need chemo was the next big thing I was waiting for. I wish I had better news to share, but I will in fact be going through 4 rounds of chemo in the next few months. Even though I tried to prepare myself for the worst, it was still hard to hear. The decision even came down to percentages. 12% to be exact. I was basically told the difference between going through chemo or not going through chemo was 12%. But what’s really 12%?It’s weird because I feel like there’s so much we still don’t know about Breast Cancer yet and when the doctor presents the percentages in front of you, you just have to trust them even with all of the vague “unknowns”. For me, there’s still some “unknowns” in my cancer cells, which is why chemo is every doctor’s answer to kill whatever is left in your body. In the end, I think you just have to feel like you gave it your best shot and for me, that means going through treatment. It’s going to be a long 12 weeks and I’ll be sad to say goodbye to what I’ve been told is my “mermaid hair”. I’m actually going to attempt to save my hair by using a cold cap so we’ll see if that works… But for now, I just have to remind myself that saying goodbye to my hair wouldn’t be the worst thing. I could always cosplay as Asajj Ventress!
And since I am starting my first round of chemo very soon, I had the idea to do a Street Fighter themed outfit for today’s post. And who else would I rather be, other than Chun-Li? She was always my go to character in the Street Fighter games and I definitely mastered all her moves back in SFII and SFIV. I’ve actually always wanted to make her cosplay, but part of me felt like it was a little too predictable with me being Chinese and all. Maybe some day though! So here’s the next best thing – an everyday cosplay Chun-Li look. Hopefully I got the hair down!
The Goods:
- Blue Jumpsuit (Rebecca Minkoff, buy here) w/Elastic Belt
- Leather Moto Jacket (L.A.M.B., similar here and here)
- Jewelry: Lightning Earrings (Forever 21), Skull Necklace (Bar III), Studded Resin Bracelet (Tory Burch, similar here and here), Various Spiked Bracelets (Zara)
- Strappy Sandals (& Other Stories, similar here and here)
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17 Comments
Lora
You look gorgeous! And you WILL beat this shit, Emily. You will.
Mike Louie (@Mewie)
The Mewies haven’t stopped praying for you and Wilson! Love your attitude and ability to think about the larger story in your life. And yes, a Ventress cosplay would be pretty epic considering the circumstances.
emilyo
Thanks Mike!!
The Lady Nerd
Wonderfully chic! That’s a great outfit you threw together, hair and all. Though on a note to potentially losing hair from chemo, from what I’ve seen there are some amazing things one can do (if it comes to that). I’ve seen some beautiful henna designs, makes it easier to wear cosplay wigs, and truth be told, I think you have a strong enough bone structure to pull off a beautiful bald woman (should it come to that. I hope you get to keep your hair! Even though mine is thin and stringy, I couldn’t imagine losing it. So I’ll keep rooting for you that your hair will stay in. Heh…rooting…*facepalm*)
Cheers from a geek fashion sister,
~ Briana
http://theladynerd.com
emilyo
Aw, thanks! Yeah the first thing I thought of was some cosplays around losing my hair! Ooh henna designs sound cool too! Thanks for the ideas! And thank you so much for the support!
B
I wonder if there’s a way to have your own hair turned into a wig? It sounds like something that SHOULD be a thing. You’re going to kick this cancer in the ass!
emilyo
You can actually! But it costs something like 2k from what I read. So yeah.. Haha
singinguitarguy
Your spunky and positive outlook will get you through it, and your beautiful hair will grow back Emily. Cool choice on the Chen Li. You could do a Steam Punk kinda Cosplay in the future, or do Imperator Furiosa from Mad Max Fury Road. Looking forward to your next outfit ideas.
emilyo
Furiousa would be sooo cool. Thanks for your support!
Crystal
LOVE this look. It’s perfect!
It’s hard to know what to say because I imagine making the decision to get chemo is an incredibly emotional and difficult one. Your entries about this really showcase how tough you are and how amazing your attitude is. Rooting for you non-stop over here! <3
emilyo
Thanks! I totally want to wear it out someday! It’s way too cold now! Thanks for all the support!
Natasha
Hey Emily! I’m a long time follower of your blog- NOBODY pulls off geek girl style the way you do! Just wanted to share my support for you during a difficult time. You’re so brave for continuing to blog about the things you love, and sharing your journey with us all! You have my very best wishes :D
emilyo
Wow, thank you so much! I’m really touched by all the encouragement I’ve received throughout all of this. :)
Amy
Hey! Long time reader, first time commenter. Cancer sucks. It’s percents and weighing bad options against worse. I was diagnosed last year and had to do 6 months of chemo. Being bald does making putting on wigs for cosplay much easier. Also it turns you into a hat person even if you weren’t one before because your head gets surprisingly cold. And then, after the hair starts growing back, you may realize like I did that short hair actually looks awesome and random strangers will compliment you in grocery stores.
I wish you strength and peace of mind for the next few months. The months fly by faster than you would expect.
Also, that blue is amazing.
emilyo
Hi! Wow, thanks for sharing your journey – it means a lot to me. I loved your story about hats and random compliments at the supermarket too. It made me laugh! It’s so encouraging when people share their similar experiences. Definitely gives me a lot of hope!
Johnny Lam
The force will be with you, emily … stay strong ….
americasuits
Best post by far
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