I was warned about losing my hair to chemo. The nurse had said that the average patient loses her hair 14 days after the first chemo treatment. My birthday was exactly 14 days after my first chemo.
On day 12, my hair was still clinging to my scalp. On the 13th morning, as I ran a brush through my hair, way too much hair gathered on the bristles. I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled out handfuls of it! I had a date with my daughter-in-law, Lauren, to pick up my wig that day (good timing!) and I was afraid to shampoo my hair – afraid it would all wash down the drain.
As it turned out, my wig was not ready to be picked up, but Lauren came over to check my situation. She’s a hair stylist in Austin so I was glad to have her expert opinion. She agreed, today was the day. It was time to shave my head.
I sat on a stool in my bathroom while Lauren carefully went to work. My daughter, Kate, joined us for moral support.
Lauren put my long hair up in a ponytail and cut it close to my head so I could donate it to Locks of Love. There was no turning back now! As she shaved the back of my head, tears rolled down my daughters cheeks.
At one point, I looked up in the mirror. My hair was short in the front, but still full. It looked super cute! At least I would have fun with new hairstyles as it grew back!!
Finally, my head was completely shaven. I had been worried about unsightly bumps or marks, but there wasn’t anything too unfortunate about my scalp. Still, I was glad to have the hats that I had already purchased.
My husband was sweet and said I looked beautiful! When he announced that he was leaving to run a few errands, I grabbed my hat to join him. For some reason, I desperately needed to get out in public, ASAP! At Best Buy I approached the sales clerk to ask a question, as though it was the most normal thing in the world for a bald woman in a hat to do. It was good to break the ice.
There’s an upside to being bald. It’s been fun playing with scarves, earrings and new make-up. Getting ready in the morning is a breeze!! And I finally did get that wig. I wear it on date night…just for fun!