There are a lucky few who get through chemo without losing all their hair. I was hoping to be one of them. It’s not going to happen.
I have this habit of running my fingers through my beard. About a week ago after doing this I noticed my fingers were full of beard hair.
Not good.
Every day since then I’ve noticed when I brush my hair I release significant quantities of hair. Also whenever I shower the drain gets clogged with hair.
This is really not good.
When I talked to Dr. Ey about this he said I could expect to lose my hair, beard, eyebrows, and possibly eye lashes.
I can live without the eye brows or eye lashes, but I’m really going to miss the beard. When you’re know as “the bearded one” losing your beard causes significant identity issues. I guess I’ll just have to re-invent myself.
What is interesting is the hair loss seems to be even, rather than coming out in clumps. Apparently the hair and beard will thin until my entire head looks like a very bad comb over.
That’s the point where the clippers come out.
What is interesting is there will be some hair that won’t fall out out until later. It appears that the eye brows and the mustache will be the last to go. At least I’ve seen no signs that I’m losing either of them yet.
So what I’m going to try to do, once it’s time to do the big head and beard shave, is retain a Fu Man Chu mustache. I included a picture of Fu Man Chu with this post for those of you where are not familiar with the style.
Once the mustache goes, of course, I’ll have to go with the totally hairless look.
I can guarantee you my hairless look will not be turning the heads of the senior citizen crowd the way Jean Luc Picard does every time he graces the silver screen.
It is not my destiny to become the next bald stud muffin. I’ll be lucky if I don’t end up looking like a lumpy bowling ball.
This is a temporary shift in self image, right? Anne and I knew a kid in school (Jeff Eustace) who lost all his hair through some illness when he was in his 20s. Maybe even lost his eyebrows – I don’t know for sure, but I think a toupee was in the picture. Maybe you should shave that beard right now and use the hair to make a fake beard you could wear when out in public…? Or you could just shift to the hari krishna thing…white robe and all… 🙂
I’m certainly planning on this being a temporary shift in self image. The hair is supposed to grow back once the chemo is done. I like having more hair than almost every man my age that I know. I figure I’ll be more than ready to go back to that.
.
Hare Krishna is so 70’s. I didn’t like the 70’s when I was in them, I don’t want to return to them now. Thanks, but no thanks.
I’m thinking along the lines of cosmic justice. You’ve had more than your rightful share of hair for years now as the rest of us have been becoming more and more like bowling balls. Not that I’m bitter.
I’m a great believer in cosmic justice when it comes to other people. As for myself, I was hoping to be hairy to the end.
I just have the feeling that whatever you do with your hair, or lack thereof, it will be in totally “cool” Gary style. There, I said it. You are cool.
My “coolness” is a Facebook rumor created by your daughter and some of her friends. There is no truth to it. There was a six week period during which I was cool when I was fifteen years old. I had to abandon it when I realized I was the only one who appreciated my coolness.
You might end up with a gray-haired Groucho Marx look instead of the Fu Man Chu vibe.
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/50381052.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=E41C9FE5C4AA0A14089574A928D4C2261E8680973FEA528BB282D2D02740960CB01E70F2B3269972
*
Of course, in a pinch, there’s always the Iron Man persona.
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm605326336/tt0371746
A Groucho look would be unfortunate. A totally hairless look would no doubt be preferable. The best approach would seem to be keeping an open mind and adapting to changing circumstances. It’s all going to depend on evolving hair loss patterns and how to creatively adapt to them.
.
I like the Iron Man look a great deal. It seems so “me”. However, an air conditioning unit does not appear to be part of the outfit. Considering I am seeking a look that works well during the hottest days of summer, I’m concerned that look might be impractical.