Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Scary hairy truth

My brain is playing tricks on me. I wash my hair every morning and think "yeah, it's getting a little thinner." I was accepting that quite gracefully, I must say. But when I announced my receeding hairline during lunch on Monday with Angie and my friend, Jacqueline, they both sadly shook their heads at me. Apparently, my hair won't fall out gradually, with my adjusting every step of the way.

"You'll find it all over your pillow one morning," they said, gleefully cackling at my fate. Okay so they were compassionately smiling, but it felt like evil laughter because I was horrified. Sure, I expected to find chunks on my pillow and even pull out sections in the shower, but all at once? Ack!

With my luck, I'm betting little sections of hair will remain, so I'll look like I got scalped by a half-blind hair stylist. When that happens, I'm calling my sister-in-law, Margaret to visit with her razer pronto! Then hats and beautiful scarves will be my friends (even though I don't know how to tie them properly yet).

But currently, I still have my hair. I'm starting to really like it short. Too bad it's going to fall out any day now.

My blog is a little late today because I went to talk to my son's class about cancer. Noah's classmates seemed to know he had this secret and discussed it behind his back. So I alleviated the problems this caused by sharing my cancer diagnosis. I explained the treatment and the side effects. I'm at the school regularly and these kids will see me when I'm bald. I cautioned that Noah will experience feel a range of emotions - angry, scared, sad, etc. - and they may notice it. I touted the benefits of my great support group and asked them to be understanding and supportive for him. Noah was very keen to have me come in and talk to his class, so I hope it helped.

While I struggle to figure out how this cancer affects me, I also have to figure out how it affects my children. Right now they seem really resilient and understanding, but I am continually providing bits of information and giving them opportunities to ask questions. At dinner last night, we talked about when I'll be bald. Both Noah and Tara said, "No offence mom, but you're going to look funny."

As long as we can continue to find things to laugh about, we'll be okay. Laughter can make the serious stuff easier.

It's good advice. So take the time to find something to laugh about today (besides the visions of my bald head).

Tina

6 comments:

  1. As usual, both insightul and humorous. Did you study writing in school??? You should be a communication specialist...oh wait, YOU ARE! I wrote a long blog last night, but my evil computer whisked it away before I could post so I shut down to fume. I just found the comments section last night (I know...I must have been sitting under a rock somewhere), so I had lots of laughs and cries as I read through the history. Tina is lucky to have so many great friends- though I think she deserves every one. Every time I check out London Life Team Tina, it grows, which is a testament to how she has impacted so many lives. Tina- Keep sharing and inspiring us to enjoy our lives and appreciate everything we have on a daily basis.
    Angie

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  2. Hi Honey Girl,

    I was just sitting here reading your Blog and Angies' response and for some reason I wondered... being bald... will your motorcycle helmut still fit you? Funny how your mind goes off on strange little tangents by itself some days. I still think the best part of this losing your hair topic is that you will no longer have to shave... AND,,, we will be able to draw funny looking eyebrows on you!! 'oh look,, Tina looks surprised today,, no wait,,, she looks angry today',,, You know I'm kidding honey, I'll be as bald as you will, and I promise to draw only NICE eyebrows on you!! haha
    love you
    xoxox

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  3. helmut???? I think I should use spell check some days!!!

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  4. At least she won't have "helmut" head :)Sorry!

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  5. Good afternoon all. Love all the humour here.

    Laughter is always the best medicine in any situation.

    Unfortunately it is difficult these days sometimes for young people. I am sure Noah very much appreciated you coming to the school, so that there are no more secrets, and his class mates know what is going on.

    Actually "bald" is the in look these days, so you will be right in style darlin girl.

    Talk soon.

    Enjoy the rest of your day.

    Love Jane

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  6. Okay...so....here it goes with some humor (oh yeah...in Canada its HUMOUR)...So, sue me!! Wait..that's what they do all day long here in the USA....

    Okay...now, I am on a roll...Speaking of roll...

    Remember us in our highrise apartment on Riverside Drive...and we would lay upside down with our head down on THE INFAMOUS GREEN ROCKING CHAIR in our living room and say, "I've fallen and I can't get up??" :-)

    Which brings me to this joke..ENJOY!! And say this outloud (positive affirmation and reinforcement). I AM LIVING TO BE 100!!!
    LOVE YOU....(remember...you can always "lean on me"... - no pun intended...see below!
    R


    WHEN I'M 100, IF I LEAN A LITTLE, LEAVE ME ALONE!

    The family wheeled Grandma out on the lawn, in her wheelchair, where the activities for her 100th birthday were taking place.

    Grandma couldn't speak very well, but she would write notes when she needed to communicate.

    After a short time out on the lawn, Grandma started leaning off to the right, so some family members grabbed her, straightened her up, and stuffed pillows on her right.

    A short time later, she started leaning off to her left, so again the family grabbed her and stuffed pillows on her left.

    Soon she started leaning forward, so the family members again grabbed her, and then tied a pillowcase around her waist to hold her up.

    A nephew who arrived late came up to Grandma and said, 'Hi, Grandma, you're looking good! How are they treating you?'

    Grandma took out her little notepad and slowly wrote a note to the nephew......

    'Bastards won't let me fart.'

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