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I wasn't present for the actual event, but I do remember the before and after. I can't say my mom acted quickly. She really let it get to the final strand before taking the next step, but she finally shaved it all off.
I'm remembering her hair of course, or lack thereof. I suppose it would have been something if my mom was a young hipster who could pull bald off, but she was very middle aged, and the bald look was a little over the top for her. I'll tell you it didn't look good, not the slightest. But I, nor anyone I knew, cared in the least. Like a school play, it was hellishly normal, but normal all the same.
I can remember wondering why it took her so long just to shave it all off. I was watching a favorite television show of mine, sitting on my bed and thinking, when my mom walked into my room. She hadn't done the deed yet and her hair was stringy or mostly absent. She came in and sat down to watch the show with me; it was one of her favorites as well. When my mom went out she would wear a hat, but in our house there really wasn't any point. She wasn't hiding anything from me or my dad.
We just sat there silently watching. That was the first instance I can remember where I had to consciously keep my eyes on something that wasn't her head. The silence seemed to add to her decrepitness, and it was dusk so my little room was sullen.
I wasn't embarrassed in the least but I felt as though I didn't know how to act. I ran through my mind a series of thoughts worth nothing, but still troubling. How do you tell your mom she's ugly, but that she could do something about it if she just shaved it all off?
"You need to get rid of the rest," I said.
"Yeah," she said without looking at me, "You're probably right."
"It looks terrible, really."
"I know."
And the next day it was gone. With her hair went the last of her life before cancer.
After that my mom began to adopt a pseudo Buddhist attitude based around inner development and spirituality. In my minds eye that was the change that saved her.
If I were able to slice a line through time at the moment where she shaved her head, I would label the first half ‘dying' and the second half ‘living.' Like I said, I wasn't there for the actual event, but I do remember the before and after.
I have had treatment for Breast Cancer, my hair fell out after my second treatment of Chemo and it fell out in one piece
All my family and friends kept my spirits high by telling me that it looked ok and it would soon grow back
What kind of son would even think his mum looked UGLY under those circumstances
I wonder how you would cope yet alone look if you went through what your mother had to go through Chemotherapy is an herific thing to go through You should pray to god it does not happen to you
As the story implies; I found her desperate attempt to hang onto the remnents of her hair ugly. The look itself was not what you went through. Her hair slowly dropped out until she was left with a few strands on top that would remind anyone of an egyptian mummy. Her true beauty was found in her acceptance and the final shave. Thanks for your imput. I like to hear it all, positive or negative. You have a strong loving family and they can make all the difference in situations like this. I commend you on your abiltity to speak out.
Thank you for sharing your story Although my hair fell out in one big lump I too had just strands like an egyption mummy so I got a razor and shaved the strands off But it is still a shock, I think that is when you realise that this is for real This is Cancer and the word cancer is such a scarey word one we never want to hear. But there are people that have had Viruses that are life threatening The treatment for any cancer is herific and does so much damage to the human body Yes I have a wonderful loving family, and friends, that alone is worth living for.
I am blessed