Chemo Journal Day 10-warning stocking’d head below! (rev. 9/22)

September 21-Day 10

Yesterday didn’t get better after my 9 AM journal.  It actually got worse.  I think it was more emotional for me than anything.  I was tired, but more mentally exhausted. Today was better.  In fact, I was busier today than I have been all ten days of chemo, yet tonight I’m not my typical “chemo crabby.”  (Not yet anyway.)  I’ve had no meds at all and I feel fine.  I stopped by SCOA today for blood work and all “looks great.”

I’ve learned, however, that tomorrow may catch up with me.  I may pay for today tomorrow.  We shall see.

Tonight as I drove through a horrendous storm on I20 on my way home from a day of wig shopping, it dawned on me.  The weather was a perfect analogy.

My friend, Donna, who also had her first chemo treatment on September 12, and I spent the better part of today trying on wigs of all shapes, colors and styles. What a surreal experience.  We were in the shop no less than three hours discovering our new norm.  Although we’ve known each other for as long as my McCanless and her Nick were in 2K, we only recently, truly connected.  We chatted non-stop for the hour to Columbia, and while we were shopping and all the way home.  We have so much more in common now than children, carpool and packing lunches.  We share an entire world that we have been thrown into, rather abruptly.

We laughed at the pouf of  “Coconut Almond” and the sassy style of too dark “Mochachino.”  We finally settled on the exact same style in “Marbleized Brown” for me and “Number 12” for her.  She was bummed her color wasn’t as glamorously dubbed as one of our favorites, “Butter Pecan.”

We walked out of the shop confident and scared about our new purchase.  Dark clouds were looming and the breeze picked up.  We both were on the phone making sure our baby chicks were where they needed to be and all was fine on the home front.  As we headed East on I20 after a quick bite,  the storm grew stronger and darker.  The clouds were so beautiful, but frightening.  I had to drive slowly and cautiously, almost unaware of the surrounding vehicles.  We saw several cars on the roadside needing assistance and a few ambulances whizzed by. We both would shutter and gasp at the lightening, yet continued our chatting and laughing, continued our trek.  Almost half way home, we could see where the sun peeked through the darkness and we could tell the end was near.  Soon we even saw a huge rainbow and as we thought we were in the clear, the sky darkened once again.

I’m home now. It’s slowly drizzling outside, finally clearing.

We weathered the storm today, not without worry or fear, realizing along the way that while the road was uncertain we carried on with hope and laughter.

First, we had to “stocking” our heads.  What do you think?

Then, Ms. Wig Fitter narrowed down the hundreds of choices based on what we were looking for.

This is my first attempt to take a photo with my cell in a mirror.  Obviously, not so great, BUT this is one of my favorite wigs.  The “Reagan.”  I also realized in this whole process, that I’m much more suited to be a brunette.  I did dare to don a blonde, but I looked like Malibu Barbie Wanna Be.  I loved a sassy dark red named, “Charlie.”  FYI:  I have much better skin tone with the darker wigs, if you care to know.  My final choice had to be ordered.  I’ll debut when it arrives!

3 Comments