Breaking Bald

When I first discovered I was going to be receiving chemo, one of the first questions I asked was "Will I lose my hair?"  The answer was yes and 3 weeks after my first infusion of Taxol, I started shedding massive amounts of hair.

Now I have been bald for 3 months.  I have a collection of hats, scarves and a wig.  Until recently I wore them all whenever I went out of the house.

Scrub hat for work

Partial collection...and yes a large miralax bottle makes a fine wig form :)

But truthfully I hate wearing them.  They are hot, sometimes itchy and they make me fidget.  I've always been that way, you can ask my mother...if it was itchy I'm not wearing it.  (yes, mom, I know you are nodding in agreement right now)

So lately I had been pondering the question of why am I covering up the bald...or as my son calls it #ChromeDome?  Obviously men wear the bald all the time and no one thinks twice.

Who loves ya baby?

  I thought about when I saw women bald...did I notice them? Truthfully yes, yes I did.  Was it offensive? no, if anything I thought they were brave and most looked good bald.

So why am I still covering the bald?

Some of it is a lack of femininity.  But most has to do with being bald in public is a bit like announcing to the world "I have Cancer".  It makes me feel vulnerable.

Then I realized that a baseball cap, scarf or wig, on my bald head is really NOT camouflaging the bald ...at all. Pssst people can tell....

So after polling some friends and getting up the nerve I have been in public all week

stark...raving....BALD!

And I'm excited to report...no one cared.

And it felt so good! 

LONG LIVE THE BALD!

Well at least until I have some hair..

(and I love the fact my glasses cover my lack of eyebrows!)

And a little BRCA humor...