Alopecia

My dear friends, I have been struck with alopecia, or hair loss.  One reason I dyed my hair bleach blonde and whacked it off was because I knew it was going to fall out anyway.  I will say that it was a lot easier to see short blonde hair fall out than my natural color.  It began over a week ago and only got worse.  At first it wasn't so bad, but it finally hit me that I was losing my hair.  I was planning on shaving my head at some point but didn't know when, where or with who.  I decided last monday that it just needed to go, so I called my best friend and we went and did it.  Honestly, it wasn't that difficult to see it go.  It was more difficult to see a trail of hair wherever I went.  It was EVERYWHERE, so I am now bald.  Whooda thunk?!  I will admit, I always wondered what I would look like bald but would never under any other circumstances take that step. Before shaving my head I feared I would find some weird birthmark under my hair, or my head would be a weird shape. Luckily I do not have a weird birthmark and am told that my head is quite round...I guess that's a good thing. All you people with hair on your heads, enjoy it!  I'm not missing mine too much right now because being bald really is low maintenance, which cuts my getting ready time in half!  I know I will have days where I miss it, but I have lots of cute hats and a wig.  The day I shaved it I bought a cute purple beanie. Emotional purchase...definitely. But I don't regret it one bit.

I just want to take a second to thank my wonderful family.  They have all been so supportive. Every step of this journey I have had someone, or multiple people at my side.  My loving mother, my silly sisters, my dedicated brothers, my endlessly adorable nieces and nephews who pray for me and tell me consistently, "I'm sorry you have cancer."  Coleman, in 1st grade, drew me a picture that said "I have cancer and it is fun...Shot (with a pic of a needle coming towards me) cancer isn't is fun as I thought."  We were all rolling on the floor laughing when he gave it to me.  Then they showed him a picture of me bald and he said, "I think she should wear a wig."  This kid has some serious opinions about girls' hair, he cracks me up!  I asked my family to not treat me any differently and by golly they haven't...well I think they make fun of me more, but that is to be expected.  How could they pass up the opportunity to poke fun of a 23 year old with a handicap pass that walks like a grandma and can't bend over.  Yep, I've heard it all.  Teasing is a form of love in my family.  I am lucky to have such a great support system. Love you family!