The Hair Farewell Tour

Saying good bye to the hair which has kept me warm for so many years and would shield me from the world is not an easy thing to do. I was told to expect them to fall two weeks after the beginning of chemo. That will be in a few days.

I was advised to cut them very short before they would fall off. It is less traumatizing to see short hair fall rather than long locks. I would tell friends this was their farewell tour.

Last Friday, on the recommendation of the Cancer center, I went to Pepper’s salon in Puyallup who cut hair for free for people in my situation. I went there not so much to save money but to be in the hands of people who would be used to deal with someone like me. That was a good idea. Amber, who took care of me, was kind and professional. I thought I had a healthy dose of detachment and kept reminding myself “it will grow back!” and “remember: no metastases to the liver!”

However, when Amber first used those scissors, I started crying. Amber was perfect: gentle but keeping on working with precision. She did not let my emotion overwhelm her. After a few minutes, I felt better, relieved actually, moving forward this step I had been dreading.

This also leads to a new experience: drafts around my ears and neck, which were never so exposed. I need to avoid catching a cold with such unpredictable white cells count. I found several hats and bonnets in our neighborhood Walgreen. My favorite one comfortably covers my whole head and even includes additional bear ears. This fits well into my spirit: I am ready for hibernation!