Bald is... efficient

I can honestly say that I don't look at my now very bald head by choice. Every once in a while I catch a glimpse in the mirror (which is rare given that I have a hat on my head 95% of the time) and, like my kids, kinda do a double-take. Levi said to me the other day when I happen to pull off my hat, "Mom, put hat on!" Yes, dear, I couldn't agree more.

Though I was realizing, too, the better side of bald. I use far less shampoo and conditioner. Shower time is significantly reduced (that may be a down side!). Primping: none - you could literally cut your bathroom time in half! There's no wondering if the cut or color flatters your face, whether it's too dry or too oily, frizzy, flat, too straight or curly, on and on. I sound like I obsess about hair, but if you really think about, even for the hair minimalists, every one of us spends a great deal of time thinking about, or dealing with our hair -- with the exception of you basically bald or fully bald men! So I challenge you: try a day - or few months - without your hair, or more practically, notice how many times you do muss with or think of your hair. ...Keep in mind, I don't actually like looking at my bald head. :)

Given my new bald self and my current dislike of it, I've become impatient with this whole treatment thing. Upon diagnosis, I was gonna have surgery and then a bit of chemo, whip this thing and move on. The first surprise was that they couldn't do the full reconstruction at the initial surgery. OK, fine, no problem, we'll git'er done. We learned in past few weeks that the final reconstruction phase cannot BEGIN until 6-12 months AFTER radiation is complete. That's not 'whipping this thing and moving on!' Combine that with the fact that the second phase of chemo (I'm going for cycle 3 of 4 in the first phase tomorrow) feels much longer than the first phase. First phase of 4 cycles is every other week (2 mo.); second phase, also of 4 cycles, is every three weeks (3 mo.). THEN three weeks off, THEN 6.5 weeks of radiation. And THEN 6-12 months later we can begin the final reconstruction. Sigh. That seems like a long time. Of course, I'm scheming ways that I can circumvent the process, but I think this may be another opportunity for God to teach me patience - something I can certainly use more of.

On a good note, this was a great week. Though I go for another treatment tomorrow afternoon, this will be the first time that I'm feeling healthy going into it. I've been fighting a congestion/cough thing for several weeks and think it's finally been kicked! Yea! Amazing, given low white blood cell counts with 3 feverish kids at home all week. Hooray for prayer and antioxidants -- I'm fully covered! Reinforcements inside and out. Thank you to everyone who's been praying for me and my family!!