Perfect description

I did take shower today but didn't shampoo my hairs. I dampened them a little and watched a lot of them flow down the drain, but I couldn't take the big plunge before the slumber party tonight.

As I was delivering #3 to a playdate, in my black hat the mom just knitted for me, I recognized myself in the rearview mirror...I have become------ Mr. Collins!!



I couldn't find any pictures with the greasy bangs plastered to his forehead, but that would be exactly me...

Chemo went well...

Hey all--thanks for all your thoughts and prayers--Chemo #2 went smoothly. Needa brought me my favorite lunch (Qdoba), since Handyman was off-site. Kids all went with Mimi and Papa to the Children's Museum and a good time was had by all.

My onco-type test came back with a predicted recurrence rate of 12%. That is on the low end of the medium rate. My chemo will reduce that amount by 40%, so it would be about 8%. Then taking Tamoxifen after chemo will reduce that remaining rate by about 18%, which would take me to about 6.6ish%. That would seem to be about as good a rate as anybody walking down the street, or maybe less. I was glad to hear it and am thankful for how far chemo has come in the last decade.

I left chemo, came home, turned out horses, let out dogs, back in car to the bank, post office, grocery and feed store. So much for taking it easy. Then Mimi and Papa and kids rolled back in for #2's first birthday dinner. I had forgotten to mash potatoes (thank God for pressure cooker), or bake the cake! So #2 baked her own cake and we had a nice dinner.

Mom had to help clean up the kitchen from Hades, again. But we got to do it together and catch upon extended family information.

Stream-of-conciousness conversation at our dinner table: Spiderwoman is NOT related to Spiderman in any way, and wears VERY tight garments; SpiderGIRL is the offspring of Spiderman and Mary Jane; #1 did Mendel's genetic trait grid plotting in biology; Henry VIII beheaded his wives for failing to produce a male heir, but it is the male parent who determines the sex of the child; My cousin met a new significant other on the internet who is a successful published author; Julianne Hough has 9 siblings, they're called the "Blosmonds" (blonde/Osmond) because of their Mormon faith and large family; Somebody tooted in the car on the way to Children's Museum and we had to put all the windows down;

Your basic day at Netherfield--glad I am here for it.

Hair watch: If I showered, it would be gone. But I don't want to bare it all for the slumber party--icky hair--thank goodness for my hat stash.

It was so fun!

TO and SP went out to eat with me on Monday night and I stuffed myself. We had a great time and laughed, really loud, on the way out as we discussed hair falling out and husbands! Very, very fun and worthwhile. Probably killed off dozens of cancer cells just laughing that hard--not that I have any left...

I had a dream last night that my hair came off in a big handful from the back of my head and I started crying, a lot. I was surprised that I was crying, because we have been preparing ourselves for this. Talking about it; laughing about it; counting down the days, etc. So I was surprised that I was crying.

Then I woke up. Then I drove the 4 million miles to this wig store that is supposed to have great customer service and be so wonderful. Lucky (not really luck--PTL) for me, it is right by DF's house and I don't ever get to see her enough, so I could combine the two. I left the piano tuner with Handyman and the chilluns and headed out for the trek.

The wig place was in this little house down south and it was sooooooooo nice! I can't even tell you. Both ladies were absolutely terrific and sweet and friendly and kind--like aunts that you'd want to visit, often. The place was cute and clean and wonderfully cozy.

Patty, the nice lady that helped me, said she thought I should try a little Katie Holmes cut, which was hysterical (God, again) because that is just what I had been thinking I wanted! How funny is that?? We tried on a couple, with a little cap, since the hair is just hanging on by its most miniscule grip. (It looks icky, greasy and flat, but I didn't want to wash it all out before the ladies could see what color it is/was.) The style I liked, they did not have in the color we decided would be best. It will be very close to the color I have naturally now (which I think is too dark), but it has some highlights on top to warm it up. I didn't want to pick a radically different color, because that would be sure to draw comments and rubber-necking (because I'm so darn attractive!).

Those ladies were awesome! I'll post the pics later. It'll arrive to them next Wednesday and we need to trim the bangs on it a little, so I'll probably go down there on Thursday to get it. It was so cute, I'm actually considering buying the lighter shade of the same hair for later in the spring, so I don't look like a cancer victim at Easter!

Let me know what you think--Remember, mine will be darker with subtle highlights on top. #1 thinks I look like TO, she loved it! The back is very cute and the sides can be tucked behind my ear, or swing forward a little on my cheeks. This picture looks a little more boring than I thought it looked in real life...we'll see next week!


How about all those cuties behind me?? (Just like God to make me look better during chemo than I did before!)

Gotta feed horses and then head off for Awana. Chemo in the a.m., then birthday slumber party on Friday night. Then Handyman and I are going to try to go see Quantum of Solace on Saturday! Thanks for all the positive vibes and mostly, your prayers, which have availed much.

Hittin' the wig merchant tomorrow

Okay, I have barely combed my hair since Saturday night, and it shows. Every morning when I wake up, it is standing up straight on top. I gently press it down toward my head, pull my bangs over my forehead and go with it. Now it's greasy and today I didn't let it get under the warm water of the shower. I figured it would be gone in a jiffy and I wanted to retain some until I can get to the wig lady.

Walking through the StuffMart parking lot, we were joking that there was a brown trail flying out behind my head, but I think I didn't lose too much. By the afternoon I reverted to a baseball hat just to avoid seeing the greaz.

BTW, my dad has shaved his head. What a guy! Hopefully by tomorrow night, I'll have a new look, or at least something to ward off wind chill. Gotta hit the hay.

Going, going...

Here are some new pictures of the latest doo. AC is a terrific hairdresser. #3 took these pictures a couple of nights ago. I think they are the first pictures she's ever taken! She did pretty well.

The day after the painful hair day, I took a shower and the warm water felt good on my head and the hair didn't seem to hurt at all the rest of the day. Today I woke up with a sore spot on the upper back of my head, so I just left it alone all day.

Handyman and I were going to a Christmas party this evening so I stuck my head under the faucet to freshen up the doo after wearing winter hats for chores all day. When I pulled my hands away from my head they were covered with hair. I freaked a little and stopped messing with it immediately. I blowed it dry on low and barely touched it.

Here's a picture of us before we left for the party.


I imagine it'll be falling out in droves tomorrow and the next day. I'm going to try to get to the wig store Monday afternoon. I know #2 is worried that I'll freak out all of her friends for her birthday party on Friday night. Hopefully wigs come in cash-and-carry. I see myself in something like Julia Roberts wore at the beginning of Pretty Woman...

Then again, if I can come out looking anything like Julia in any of her movies, I'll be doing well I think. What I'm really looking for are some coneheads for Handyman and me to wear for a Christmas picture. If you know of any, send them ASAP.

Here are some more pictures of the "tribble" hat--popular with everyone. You can't wear it without smiling!



Your friend,


Beldar (yeah, that's the guy--but I can't pronounce the mom's name)

My hair hurts

Another lovely hat came in from TX yesterday. At this rate, I'll have one for each day I'm hairless!! Also, one of my table leaders from Awana (I'm the Kindergarten room leader), sent me a frozen casserole for dinner! And she's the one I just met a few weeks ago. Very, very thoughtful.

My new hat is a variegated green, to match my Patagucci green fleece jacket. It is made from baby alpaca wool and is very, very soft. LD told me her cat would not leave this yarn alone while she was knitting. It fits perfectly, again. I'll try to get a picture up of it soon. Handyman wanted to know how many baby alpacas had to give their lives for me to have that hat?!?

I should have taken a picture of myself last night. AC, my hairdresser for life, did a terrific job whacking my hair down to boy-length. It actually looked terrific, although it is #1's worst nightmare--she says it is exactly like her biology teacher's hair. So now, she can't escape any thought of biology! (Although she really does like the teacher.)

Anyway, the haircut is terrific, although it is very short, especially in back. When I woke up this morning, it was all standing straight up on the top of my head. I am not kidding. I looked like that red-haired circus guy from Barnum & Bailey. It was amazing. When I got back into bed after doing all the morning animal chores, it hurt to lay my head on the pillow. I actually said, "ow" out loud. If I scooted on the pillow it hurt.

For those of you who have never had a pony tail, you probably can't relate. It's the "hair hurt" you get after having your hair pulled tightly into a style for a long while and then you un-do it. Only this doesn't stop hurting. It hurt to brush it down into place. Then I put a baseball hat on, to get everyone used to seeing me in one and it hurts, a lot, to shift the hat on my head. It hurts for about 10 minutes after I move the hat, at all.

Very weird. I guess the little hairs are just hanging on by their itty bitty roots and don't like to be messed with. Oh, well. It'll be gone soon. And AC tells me I'll have lots of different hair do's to come as it grows back in next spring.

Let's just hope it comes back in a familiar color....

Hats and hair

This is my first red hat, the my mom bought me several Christmas's ago. I stole the candy cane scarf from #2 last year. It has brass bells on the end. Way Christmas-y. Note the hair...



Then Handyman bought me this red hat last Christmas and yes, this is a self portrait and I don't do fake smiles.. I love the hat. Doesn't make any difference how much hair you have with this thing.



This is my first hat from LD in TX. It's a beaut and fits great. I think it'll be better without hair. She said there is silk in the yarn, so it should be warm. The picture doesn't show the pretty lace detail around the edge. This yarn was hand-dyed and she got it in Montanta--one of my favorite places.



This is what came in the mailbox today--I LOVE the yarn, but alas, it is a mite too small. Handyman called it a "tribble" when I took it out of the package! The picture doesn't do the color justice. It is a vibrant red-winey purple. I think #3 will steal it from me, although LD says she can make it bigger when she comes at Christmas. This pattern on the internet was called "No-Hair Day hat". Purty funny. I think maybe some beaded fringe around it will anchor it down and extend the length. I still love it, LD.