Yes,
I ‘heard’ that hair loss could be a side effect of brain radiation therapy. I
even acquired a preemptive ‘fade cut’ however hair loss never happened.
Until
yesterday, the proverbial ‘morning after’ 10 brain radiation treatments over 15
days.
Awakening
to the gift of another Stage 4 morning and painlessly hugging my pillow good
morning, I was surprised at the amount of ‘cat hair’ on my pillow.
Except
it was not Stardust’s hair as I discovered walking into my bathroom, it was
mine!
The
day I graduated high school in 1968 I began to grow both my lifelong mustache
and my hair long.
Lung
Cancer I know you specifically are not responsible for trying to scalp me
before you tried to kill me but you triggered the radiation therapy to get you
out of my head. I hold you responsible. Plus I am feeling great after
treatment, and all systems are go escalating toward DEFCOM 1 on June 11 when I
start chemo against you..
Radiologists
and even my friends at Salon On Main had told me IF you lose hair, it more
often than not grows back, sometimes even a different color and texture. Though
I am not sure that curly blond or ginger is my look.
As
my wife’s Multiple Sclerosis spouse caregiver since 1989 I know how quickly
time when involved in fighting any DX works against support. ‘We the people’ have the
attention span and support of a Hallmark “get well” card.
Trying
to steal my freak flag may have been the 24/7 kick in the butt to get busy. No longer can I hide beneath 'you look fine'. Not that I dislike the Yul
Brynner or Pitbull look but I need a metamorphosis to ‘Spouse Caregiver
outliving lung cancer’. I have people to entertain and money needs to be earned.
The sequential order of priorities shifts as we spiral into a symbiotic
relationship, a real death waltz. Outdancing death now that I like!
Thank
God there are those moments when these Irish eyes are simply left smiling. A
young clerk noticing my shirt and hat combo at the grocery store checkout shared
it was “sooo Thoreau! Obviously you hear that different drummer.” … you have no
idea.
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update Since no matter how I try to rock it, splotchy hair loss just does not look healty, so with brain mets in retreat and feeling Stage 4 on top of the world and ready to rumble with lung cancer, I got rid of it and got myself an ice cream cone.
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Patrick Leer
Health Activist:
Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @ http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/
It's the eyebrows I miss! Damn you WBR!
ReplyDeleteI know someone who had long, straight,blonde hair. After she started chemo, lost it all, and wore a wig. Now, with 2 years out, her hair is black and curly. When Charlie lost his hair to chemo, including eyelashes and brows, his hair grew back white & was fuzzy, like a new-born bird. Later, it went back to it's normal color and texture. I didn't loose my hair, but it got very thin. A friend and I sat up late one night (after a chemo treatment) after we had taken our night meds (that puts you sleep) and cut my hair really short. We got up the next day and laughed our *sses off because it turned out to be a really good haircut! HA!
ReplyDeleteIt does piss one off at times...
Jackie
thank ladies and now that I know it can come back different I am 'chaneling' wavy long red :) like Shawn White
ReplyDeletedude you were a total looker 1980, I think I may have dated you!!! So glad your still smilin' cause its so cute.
ReplyDeleteahhh Mel! You know how to make bald man blush. :)
Delete