Two weeks ago I completed round 3 of chemo. It’s hard to believe I have made it this far. When I started chemo back in August, October seemed sooo far away and now here it is. Fall has always been my favorite season, especially Halloween!
When I sat and listened to the chemo nurse talk back in July to find out what to expect. She said, “Denise with the drugs you will be receiving you may lose your hair." I know she meant well and was only trying to prepare me, but the comment was unexpected and I felt unnecessary. I mean is there really anyone on the planet who doesn’t understand that chemo usually equals hair loss? I managed to answer as if it would be no big deal to lose my hair. Anyway, here I am post chemo session 3 and I still have some hair on my head!
Granted, it’s not much, but there’s still some there. If you saw the Leonardo D’Caprio movie Shutter Island, I look like the creepy crazy woman with thin hair standing in the flower garden at the beginning of the movie when he arrives on the island. If you saw the movie and have had chemo, you know exactly who I’m talking about. I think there’s a message in there somewhere that if you have thin hair you are scary looking and I don’t think I like that message very much, but that’s a topic for another time.
Most chemo patients shave their heads as soon as hair loss begins or even before. It makes them feel more in control they say. I have adjusted to having almost no hair amazingly well.
I even walk around the house now without wearing anything on my head. Randy just laughs and says, “Oh, I got used to that a long time ago.” I have let my kids decide when it all goes. One is ok with it anytime, the other wants me to keep it as long as I can. I have let the second one know that it will be gone sometime before the last treatment either way.
I guess the point of all this rambling is that you can and should do what you want about shaving your head. Shave it all off early or let it fall out slowly. You decide. It’s your hair, it’s your cancer journey and it’s your decision.
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