CAROL'S HAIR SHAVING PARTY!

Bald is Beautiful!

November 18, 2006 - Well here is the wildest post yet! I have taken a step ahead of loosing my hair fully from my chemo treatments and had a "Hair Shaving Party"! I must admit I truly had an incrediable experience! If I had know it would be so much fun...I would have invited lots of people.

To not build your suspense, I have posted some pictures with my impressions of the evening below. Get ready...this is stitch! I must say it is not my best look but truly I am a bald woman now!

I had been pondering how I might take a little control of my hair loss to come. It was projected that with the first three weeks of my first chemo treatment, I would loose my hair. I decided that I wanted to have the choice of when I would loose my hair instead of being surprised daily with a little bit here and little bit there falling out. On day 15 after my first chemo treatment, I took the plunge!

I received an email from a youth ministry friend of mine from Kanuga conferences that received my blog last week. Janice, from Florida, wrote to tell me she was on the same journey as I. She had a mastectomy the same week I had mine and was undergoing chemo currently. She sent words of encouragment and prayers to me. She also sent me photos of her hair shaving party. I was so deeply touched by her smiling face! The joy her friends shared with her at her party hit my heart in a powerful way! She was a model for me to say..."I can do it". "I will try to do it with grace and joy too!" Thank you Janice for sharing this part of your journey. Please keep Janice in your prayers for her recovery as well as we share this journey of breast cancer from afar!

WELL....I jumped in and decided to do go for it at the last minute. In 48 hours, I was hosting my "HAIR SHAVING PARTY!" The theme on my front door was: "Hair today...Gone tomorrow! Indeed it is now gone!

I am grateful for those who joined in the evening of entertainment. My creative friend, Lisa Shaw, arrived with a plethera of HAIR jokes, stories, trivia, games, a weekend certificates for me to Bald Head Island (Joke), a membership application for the Bald Headed Association which holds their national convention in Morehead City (I even have their conference registration, a photo album of computer inserted hairdo's on my head to imagine what I would look like: Cher, A Conehead, Mona Lisa, etc. The evening was full of laughter for all of us. Thanks Lisa for your witty ideas which brought a ton of fun to the party!

My friends wore wigs, scarves and hats of all sorts! They were so cute! Through the merriment of the evening, I finally said...."Are we going to shave my head?" Then the real FUN began!Everyone was so kind and loving as they shaved my head step by step! It was so wild for me to look at each stage in the mirror. I was freaking out but could not help but laugh because I looked so funny!

First everyone clipped a swatch of hair off my head. Next I got a short cut with the clippers, followed by a mohawk, then the full shave! Everyone took part in helping me step into the next stage of my journey! Thank you for helping this be less traumatic by joining in this experience supporting me!

Thanks to Sue Smith, Nelle Keeley (my St. Mary's College buddies), Mimi Quick (my dear nurse friend and advocate), Lisa Shaw and Lisa Aycock (Youth Ministry buddies who are masters at youthful gaming...they were both a riot!) and my wonderful neighbors, Debbi and Jeff Hazelton. Jeff was a trooper to join all the ladies. I think Jeff had a great time and was definitely most versed with hair cutting. Thanks for all the tips so there were not any accidental cuts to my head!

I must admit...at the end of the evening, I was so incrediably blown away at what joy and hope was given to me as a sincere gift by the group! I really felt that I could go to the next stages of treatments knowing that this part of my anticipation was behind me. I even had FUN!!!!!

I can not believe how much everyone warms my heart day to day as I see my friends, hear from them by phone, email or cards or feel the power of all the thoughts and prayers which are near and far being offered for my healing. God is in the midst of my exchanges with so many day to day. I feel God's embrace of comfort, peace and strength to deal with what is ahead along this journey. For each of these parts of the journey....I say thanks! I truly feel loved and do love all of you so much!!!!

YES....I AM A BALD HEADED WOMAN! It is a wild, wierd, strange and funny feeling to see the difference now. Yet... I really think it is cool and fills me with HOPE for healing along the way. Please continue to pray for all those who suffer from cancer and other illnesses that they may find peace and comfort along their journey as well.