more on hair

So many hair experiences in the last week...

The first one I posted about already: getting a compliment on my hair as it is.


On Monday, when I went for my neulasta shot (the happy shot that keeps my white blood cell count high), I was waiting at the desk for the nurse to come back with an answer to a question, and another woman walked over, also waiting for the nurse to return. Her hair was short and kind of thin, but it was long enough to be combed. I remembered how thrilled I had been to get a compliment, so I thought about what to say.

"I love the color of your hair." It was a fabulous shade straddling blond, brunette, and red.

"Really?"

We got into a conversation about her hair and her hair journey. It is in the process of growing back in a different color than it was, and she's recently decided that it's long enough to go without a wig. It started growing back even though she's still undergoing chemo. We ended up talking for 5 or more minutes, as I had another question for the nurse that sent her looking for an answer (yes, I'm one of those...) It was a really nice chat which did eventually deviate from hair, but never from cancer-related things. She gave me a hug and offered me prayers before she left. It is an interesting comraderie.


Last night, TJ and I were out to dinner. Some 13-ish-year-old boys, who were just getting ready to leave a table just in my line of vision, were pointing and laughing. I stared them down at the table and they stopped. I followed them with my eyes until they had left the restaurant and were out of sight. I'm used to people looking at me, or taking double-takes, but sheesh, people, no need to stare, and certainly no need to point and laugh. Stupid kids? Yes. Hurt feelings? No. Just irritated.

I told TJ today that I am now prepared to have a mohawk or purple hair or anything crazy, as I'm getting used to people staring anyway...


But ... my hair is growing. The sides lay flat against my head. The top is uneven. In between the long hairs on my legs there are new stubbles. I would have thought this was much weirder, but the conversation with the woman on Monday normalized it a bit.

One of the women in the group of waiting-room-complimenters said that her hair had not all fallen out, and when it grew back in, it was exactly the same as when it fell out. I wonder if mine will do the same. I wonder what it'll do at all. I don't care too much, though I am hoping to some degree that it's at least as thick as it was before.