Shaving Some Time Off My Shower

Today with the help of my mom, my boyfriend Ryan, Mary Rose, a new but dear friend of mine, and Pastor Brent, the pastor of the church we’re attending while in Michigan, I ceremonially shaved off the remaining hair on my head. It was not as shocking as I thought it would be. The shocking days were the days preceding it when I woke up to find my pillow laden with hair, pulling it out because it was stringy and loose and falling out slowly, or messing with it after showering.

waking up to find my hair falling out - DAY 1

I knew it was bound to happen, but didn’t think it would happen this soon, nor as I discovered late last night, this fast.

My oncologist was shocked to see during my last appointment that my hair had not started to fall out, but he knew it would soon. I was hoping he was wrong, and I would be one the few that were not affected.

hair loss; different view - DAY 1

Sadly, I was wrong. But now that I think about it, it’s good that my hair is falling out! (I know right? How could I say that and really mean it?! But it’s true!) My hair is falling out because the chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells. Cancer cells are rapidly dividing cells. Hair cells also rapidly dividing, which is why most chemo patients lose their hair, although it also depends on the chemotherapy drug that is being used on them. Some drugs  target differently than others. The drugs that I am on target any rapidly dividing cells, including white blood cells and specifically hair cells. I first knew that the chemo was working when (sadly) my blood count was low, lower than it had ever been, and again when my hair had started falling out. So really and truly, it was a blessing from God that my hair was falling out. He used it as a sign, not only to me, but to everyone else that this chemo is working, because if it wasn’t, my hair wouldn’t be falling out, thus it wouldn’t be targeting my cancer cells.

after blow drying my hair, this much came out

During church my mom made an announcement that anyone who wanted to watch me get my hair shaved was welcome to come. Although it was raining and we planned to do it outside, we did it inside instead. We set up the recorder (as this is a big thing to do and it must be recorded), and I FaceTimed my dad, as my mom got to work on my head (pictures and video soon to come on Facebook®).

First it was removing all the hair, then it was buzzing it, then it was getting my hair – or rather head – wet and putting some cream rinse onto it to soften up my head, rinsing the cream rinse off, putting shaving cream on my head and shaving the rest off. Clean head, apply more shaving cream and re-shave with a clean blade to remove all the stray hair. Rinse head and dry. Remove all the water that decided, since I had no hair, to go all into my ears.

letting the birds make a nest with my hair

Next, we gathered up all my hair, and ceremonially threw it up to the birds to use for nests.

Here comes the best part of all. Mary Rose, who is the same friend that I talked about in a previous post about raising money and shaving her head - hair that was down to her waist nonetheless - stepped up to the line and had my mom shave her head (again)! I partook in this, being the one to shave the first part of her hair off, and my mom proceeded to buzz and clean shave her head. It was so touching to see her do this for me, someone who she had never met before, but talked to through Facebook Messenger®. Next we picked up her hair as well, and tossed it to the birds, offering them a bit more fluff for their nests than just my stringy hair.  

POSTSHAVING MY HEAD

PRE SHAVING MY HEAD