I often have what what many would call Bad Hair Days. In the interest of not being judgmental, I claim my hair isn't actually bad on these days, just misguided. Your hair might be similarly misbehaved if it went to bed wet.
Anyway, my hair has been having an increasingly hard time lately. Chemotherapy attacks rapidly dividing cells. The target is cancerous cells, but the collateral damage is bone marrow cells, cells lining the digestive tract (frequently leading to diarrhea), cells growing your nails (making them brittle and rough), and cells growing your hair (causing your hair to fall out).
I had been seeing signs the last few days that I was about to earn my Hair Loss badge: seeing more hairs on my pillow upon waking; whiskers coming off in my hand; hair balls the size of a small rodent on the shower drain...
When my pillow looked like this, I knew it was time. |
You can't quit, Harry McHair. You're fired! |
I now have even less hair than my dad! (Thanks for the trim, Dad!) |
As you can see, I still have facial hair. However, my eyebrow has already thinned to the point that it looks like I have two eyebrows. Anyway, I think this look works for me.
I'm also losing hair on my arms, chest, legs, and ... elsewhere. (Sorry, no pictures.) Soon enough, it's all going to be gone. Naked as a mole rat.
I'm also losing hair on my arms, chest, legs, and ... elsewhere. (Sorry, no pictures.) Soon enough, it's all going to be gone. Naked as a mole rat.
I think it's the loss of eyebrows that really gives cancer patients the cancer patient look. Fortunately, my family's got me covered.
Hey, love the new look! Perfect way to avoid the bed head.
ReplyDeleteJoe, when you are finished with all this, you could consider willing your blog to the hospital. They ought to be able to put it to good use in therapy with other patients. You not only provide a fine example of psychological robustness, you provide a great stand-up act. I'm reminded of Norman Cousins curing himself of something awful by watching Marx brothers movies.
ReplyDeleteLooking Sharp! Leslie says you need to publish this blog!
ReplyDeleteBrad wants to know if your dad helped with the manscaping, too.
ReplyDeleteI, on the other hand, admire your dedication to the environment: saving shampoo and hence the bottles it is packaged in, the fuel used to power the trucks that deliver those bottles, the water needed to rinse said shampoo from your head, the power needed to treat the water and convey it to the point of use . . . . The list goes on and on. :-) Jackie Mac
Looking good! Add me to the list of people who think you should "publish" this blog at some point, for the benefit of patients and the education of doctors. If there is not in existence a program which makes it easy to turn a blog into a book-like communication, Ethan B (who teaches a computer course at UMass, will make it a project for his Spring class.
ReplyDelete- Mom
Hang in there, Joe. I do hope you start feeling better, and hair or no hair, it'll be good to see you back here soon.
ReplyDeleteYour office neighbor to the south. - Paul M.
I see, you're really going for the triathlete look. Actually, you are already looking FASTER! Wow! Too cool. Careful on the treadmill, ...and in the whirl pool. Thinkin' of ya!
ReplyDeleteHi, Joe! Rob and I are very impressed with the grace and humor of your writing style...and your amazing outlook. We were and are devastated by the news but have to admit we enjoy your way of relating it.
ReplyDeleteWe're rooting for you! Leslie M.
P.S. I like the new clean cut look. The shaggy, sloppy look is out...since around the 60's, I think.
You look a little bit badass as a bald guy. ( When you're not wearing the Beaky Puss )
ReplyDelete