Making lemonade from lemons

The past year has presented many trials for Glenbeulah resident Paula Weiss, 51, a stylist at CPN Hair Studio, Plymouth.

However, she faced those challenges with a positive attitude. In addition, she is now reaching out to assist other women who experience one of those trials – an emotional upheaval, caused by the loss of their hair.

In her case, Weiss lost her hair, while undergoing chemotherapy treatments, following a double mastectomy, required due to breast cancer. And while ordering wigs through catalogs and online, she had a difficult time finding the right color and fit.

Carla Nicolaus, owner of CPN Hair Studio, and the other five stylists on staff there assisted Weiss in her search, until Nicolaus found the solution to Weiss’s dilemma.

“Paula was becoming a regular customer at the post office, having to constantly send back the wigs she had ordered,” Nicolaus recalled. “After continuous research and realizing there are many others in the same situation as Paula, we knew something had to be done

“For many years I had wanted to carry wigs at the salon,” Nicolaus noted. “Then, while I observed Paula going through this, I realized this was the right time.”

Thus, in spring, Nicolaus contacted officials at the Raquel Wig Co., headquartered in Dallas. “They were very helpful,” she said. “The staff at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic in Sheboygan, where Paula was receiving treatment, also encouraged me to offer wig services here at the salon.”

So, Nicolaus ordered several wigs through the company’s distribution center in Kansas City, Mo., and for the past few months, CPN has been selling and styling Raquel Welch and Gabor wigs and offering the sale of wig products – brushes, shampoo, stands, etc.

The wig selection includes 100-percent human-hair and synthetic wigs, hand-knotted wigs, hairpieces and clip-in extensions.

Weiss had found her answer. She was elated to be able to try on the wigs right at the CPN Hair Studio.

“I found the right fit and color, and had a few wigs,” she said. “The texture of the hair was great. When I would wear the wigs to work, clients would not know I was wearing a wig.”

With the wig line now available at CPN Studio, Weiss provides the wig services for clients in privacy, in a separate room of the salon that Nicolaus had added on.

“My husband Pat built a new spray-tanning room on the salon,” Nicolaus said. “We use the former spray-tanning room for our wig services.”

“Along with a proper measurement, Paula will demonstrate how to put on a wig and instruct clients in easy wig-care methods,” Nicolaus said. “And we will gladly accommodate clients, when they feel the time has arrived to shave their heads.”

She added that another of part-time stylists Jamie Wehrmann is also interested in learning how to provide wig services.

Weiss finds that providing these services for others who have experienced cancer or alopecia (disorder resulting in the loss of hair) or who have thinning hair to be rewarding.

“I’ve wanted to find a way to give back to others,” she affirmed.

She told of events leading up to her becoming involved in wig sales and services. “I was scheduled to have a hysterectomy at the end of last year,” she recalled.

Then, on a weekend last November, she and her husband Howie Weiss were at their friends’ home playing the Wii Nintendo boxing game. “At that time, I noticed some pain and swelling in my upper chest area,” Weiss recalled.

“The following week I had a yearly physical exam, including a mammogram. The mammogram showed that I had breast cancer. I received that diagnosis on Dec. 23.

“I felt very alone and scared,” she added. “I wanted to figure out what to do right away, so I scheduled an MRI in Green Bay for right after Christmas, to get things started.”

Events moved quickly. Her physicians decided that Weiss would need a double mastectomy and that she should have that procedure and the hysterectomy performed at the same time. They scheduled her surgery for the end of January.

During the operation, Dr. Badri Ganju performed the double mastectomy, while Dr. Dwight Dyksterhouse performed the hysterectomy.

“Dr. Thaddeus O’Neill placed expanders in my chest, and he will do my breast reconstruction surgery,” Weiss noted.

In March, she began chemotherapy treatments at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic in Sheboygan, under the direction of Dr. Santhosh Kumar, her oncologist. The chemotherapy treatments continued until July 14.

“When I started the chemo, they told me I would lose my hair, and they were right,” Weiss said. “So when it started to come out a little, I had it cut short. Then about a week later, Carla came to shave my head at the house. It was easier to have it shaved than seeing it fall out in clumps.”

Shortly after the chemotherapy sessions ended, Weiss’s hair began to slowly grow back.

“It has been eight weeks since then, and I’ve chosen to no longer wear the wigs,” she said.

On Aug. 19, Weiss began radiation treatments at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic. Dr. Dotun Oyedijo is her radiologist.

“I have roughly until Sept. 29 to complete those treatments,” she said. “After that, it will be a visit to Dr. Kumar, and he will put me on a pill for five years

“I’ve met so many wonderful people, very professional and compassionate in their work at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic,” she added.

“I’ve gone through a lot, but I’ve also learned a lot. There have been so many people – family, friends and clients who have supported me through this rough year,” she said. “I want to thank everyone for their kindness and prayers.”

Her advice to those going through a similar experience is, “Take one day at a time,” Weiss said. “Find positive things to focus on. Stay away from ‘Negative Nellies,’ and find some humor. Try to laugh. It’s the best medicine.”

“Also, I feel this is a good time to focus on the issue of breast cancer, because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Nicolaus said.

She encourages women to be vigilant about doing their self-exams of their breasts and to have their annual mammograms.

Regarding the wig services that Weiss provides at Nicolaus’ salon, Weiss said, “If I can give support and make buying a wig a pleasant experience for a person with cancer, I feel maybe I have given back a little something wonderful, just like others have given me.”

Meanwhile, Nicolaus and her staff invite those interested to come into her studio to check out her line of wigs. Note: For further information, phone Paula Weiss at 893-3509.