A Year in the Life of Hair

My niece Amber shaving my hair.

Hair.  It's a funny thing.  My whole life I've complained about my hair.  Too oily, widow's peak, cowlick at my widow's peak that gets out of control.  In the 80's I couldn't keep it frizzy enough.  In the past 10 years I couldn't keep it straight enough.  Then, well, no hair.  And still I complained.  Mangy dog?  Why couldn't my hair just fall out.  All of it?  No, lol, my hair fell out in patches and I had to keep it shaved throughout chemo. (Which is the norm more than not.)

Chris shaved my long hair 19 days to the first treatment, in our back yard with our horse clippers.  My sister Lynette helped me shave one time and Amber another. The photos show my niece Amber shaving my hair, the last time I needed to before letting it grow at an even pace.  Now?  Well now I still complain about my hair.  Now?  The curls.  I cannot contain or control the curls.  Hair or no hair.  Maybe it's just in my nature to hate it.  

My niece Amber doing me a huge favor.

I've been so lucky in the blessings of my friends and family during my hair loss.  Being bald is a emotionally hard trial.  Everywhere you go there are stares.  Wig or scarf.  At home there is also the fear of being stared at with visitors.  Being afraid of going without covering even though you are in your own home.  


Those around me made being bald easy.  I never thought about it when I was around them.  I felt like I'd always been bald.  When the subject came up it was in fun.  Not in fun that people made light of it or tried to distract me.  Just fun as in it's no big deal fun.  I usually asked those around me if it bothered them for me to take off my scarf while they were visiting or we were driving somewhere.  I knew they would say no they didn't mind.  I just hated the thought of making those around me uncomfortable.  They never were.  And I never was.  It's almost surreal to look back upon those times.  How lucky I was.

GREAT friends Kelley and 
Brittany whether it's sitting on 
the couch watching UFC

or playing with my wigs.

Chris and Rusty having 
a  good time with my wigs.

My niece Amber

My niece Jessie brought me food to chemo.  

Ohhhh the hunger was excruciating!!!

My nephew Tanner

My nephew Jamey

Thanksgiving 2010

   Kelley always willing to share
 lends me a hand with my hair.

My sister Lynette

Cathy, me & Brittany
New Year's Eve 2010

Kelley, Elisha, Me & Brittany
GREAT Friends!

My nieces

                                                                                                                    

The amazing thing in the year of the life of hair was the growth. To the right is the 2010 Christmas photo showing my hair which had just started to grow since Thanksgiving 2010.  

To the left is this year's, 2011, Christmas photo.  I'm very lucky that my hair has always been fast growing.  Thank you God for my hair.  And not letting me down in bringing it back even though I'm still never happy with it.

( I wonder if my niece Jessie will notice that I had "borrowed" her furry vest in the 2010 photo.  She is wearing the vest in the 2011. Ha!)