Hair Loss Begins

I have a 9 year-old student who inspects my hair every week to see if I'm fooling her with a wig yet.

3 weeks ago:
"That doesn't look like a wig."

"It's not. I haven't even started treatment yet."

2 weeks ago:
"That doesn't look like a wig."

"It's not. My hair hasn't started falling out yet."

1 week ago:
"That doesn't look like a wig."

"Nope. Still my own hair."

This week:
"I see that your hair is getting thinner." (You can see my scalp near my part)

"Yep. Won't be long now..."

Yesterday, I went and got a massage, courtesy of Bruce Millikan at church (thanks Bruce!). I requested a scalp massage as part of it, and it occurred to me about midway through, she may come out of that rat's nest with a lot of hair on her hands!

What I SHOULD do is stop messing with it and treat it gently. Instead, I decided that if I was ever going to try the curl formers that I used to use on Maia's hair when it was long, now was my moment.

I have time on my hands today.

I put them in slightly damp hair, used a blow dryer, then left them in for about an hour, and voilá!

Nice loose waves. (I did my bangs with the flat iron, which would've been easier all around, but I've never had great success with that method.)

I left evidence behind, however.

Long sections of hair left behind in the curlers.

It remains to be seen if I will have enough hair to wear for the cabaret tomorrow and Friday. Probably. It doesn't look too obvious yet, but my shower drain does not love me.

If all else fails, just add a big red bow and wear a polka dot dress.

The Rhythm

Infusion #3 done. Psh. That was easy.

Seriously, you guys. Last time I had cancer, they took such good care of me, that I told my doctor I felt like I got off easy. Like I had "cancer lite" or something. She assured me there was no such thing. But this time? My tongue tastes weird, I have dry eyes, and a little rash on my chinny-chin-chin. I get tired on Sundays, and crabby on Saturday nights.

Now, granted, I have only been at it for a couple of weeks, but so far so good.

Week 2 highlights:

Remember my steroid-fueled decorating frenzy during Week 1 on Saturday?  Well, Week 2 that craziness happened on Friday. I had infusion until about 11:30 am, then we did a little Christmas shopping, went home and had lunch, I had a coffee date with my friend Stacy from 3:00-4:30, then got home and had approximately 20 minutes to change into performance clothes/ hair, then I had a 2 hour rehearsal for my Holiday Cabaret which opens December 13-14! Get tickets here! THEN, I boogied my way over to the Hy-Vee Market Grille on Minnesota Ave. for a Two White Squares gig from 7-9 pm.

WHEW!

So, one cool thing that happened that day was that the wig I ordered off Etsy from a costume shop in Tampa arrived just in time for my quick turnaround. Good thing, because I didn't really do my hair before my 7:30 am appointment and it looked awful! Wig days are good hair days!  :D

Turns out, if I want a wig to look like my hair,
I have to order it from a costume shop.
This is Doris Day in dk. brown.

The sad thing that happened was that on my way into Hy-Vee, I was getting out of my car, throwing only the essentials in my new little red Coach handbag that Stacy gave me for my birthday, I grabbed my cute new little red polka-dot water bottle that I had gotten myself for my birthday the week before...

...but I didn't stick a gloved finger through the loop on top.

Yep.

Dropped it on the pavement and it smashed.

RIP cute bottle. Good thing I got you at Wal-Mart.
Maybe a glass bottle is not for me...

           "FUUUUDGE!!!"
            Only I didn't say "Fudge." I said THE word. The big one. 
            The queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word. 

Just then, one of my students from the CHRISTIAN university where I work, drove up and rolled down his window, checking to see if I was OK.

I'm a horrible person.

I muttered something about my sadness because I really liked that water bottle, but I was also REALLY thirsty after having chatted for 1 1/2 hours and sung for 2 hours, then getting ready to sing for another two hours.

To my credit, I did not cry. I just whined a little.

I rushed in the door, notified the hostess at the Grille that there was a glass cleanup needed in the parking lot, grabbed a glass of water from the bar and started playing along with Matt who had begun without me.  About 15 minutes later, the student who witnessed my humanness comes in and hands me a new bottle of water. Not red polka dots, but the content was important. What a sweetie. Thanks Hans!

Saturday evening, we went to a friend's birthday party. We did that the week before too. What I've discovered is that I poop out about 7:30 on Saturday nights. Good to know. Unfortunately, on Saturday, Dec. 22, I've booked a gig to play a Christmas Carol sing-along at a house party from 8:30-10 pm. Maybe a nap that afternoon is in order.

Sunday, we unveiled Asbury's new logo and started the Advent season. I sang in the choir at the 9:00 service and on the worship team at the 11:15 service. Everything was all decorated and beautiful!

I was POOPED after that service. Went out to lunch with Matt at Grille 26 thanks to a gift card thanks to Jayne & Monte from church...

Yes, that's a Bloody Mary. No regrets.

...then we went home and I took an epic nap, then did my craft from the art lady, Denise, at the cancer center. Since I have my hands on ice during my treatments, she gives me a kit to take home and do during the week. I said I didn't care what she gave me, just surprise me with a project. I made kitty coasters out of decorative napkins, Mod Podge and ceramic tiles.

Monday-Thursday was my work week. Last week of lessons at USF, so I had two hours of juries Monday afternoon. For those who've never been a music major, juries are the final exam for private lessons for students majoring or minoring in music. We write comments and quiz them on their repertoire and technique. It was only two hours because we have a small music department. Some departments go all day for multiple days. What a marathon!

Thankfully, a wonderful saint from our church brought us dinner that night. (Thank you, Mary!) Then I rushed off to cabaret rehearsal. We have a two-hour show, ranging from the ridiculous to the awesome to the sublime in styles. It's very vocally taxing. We're doing 24 songs, and I only have 4 that I don't sing on.

My specific prayer request this week is for vocal endurance and recovery. I have been on anti-histamines for a slight skin reaction to the chemo, plus the chemo itself dries me out, plus the weather is dry because of winter, PLUS I think did some damage to my voice over the summer. The combo means I am not holding it together very well. I am resting my voice and taking it easy when I can, and believe me, I know all the tricks for vocal care. This is a very fatiguing season, and I could use a break.

My director for Steel Magnolias called me at work on Thursday and wanted to see how I was doing and if he needs to get me an understudy. I said, "Well if it will make you feel better, but it's going to be disappointing for her because I'm fine, and I'm DOiNG THiS SHOW!!"

Really, I feel fine. Except for my voice. Dang it. Won't stop me from having fun though!