Refining Skills that are Now Obsolete
Now that I'm 3 weeks out from my last chemo infusion, I decided it is the perfect time to grab a razor blade and shave my head.
Okay, you're probably thinking, what?!? Don't you want hair? Yes, I do, but hear out my reasoning.
With the type of chemotherapy that I had, hair loss occurs 2-3 weeks after the initial infusion. My thought, which I'm pretty sure doesn't hold up under medical scrutiny, is that three weeks after the infusion seems to be the peak of follicle damage, so that's when I want to start anew. It really doesn't matter if there is any scientific basis to my crazy idea. All that matters is that I made a ritualistic break with chemo, saying, from here on out, this is my body, my hair, and I am done with chemicals!
This is actually the third time I've shaved my head this summer. Chemo didn't make me lose every single hair on my head, just the vast majority. I still had little stubby hairs that would grow in and (weirdly enough) hurt my head. Shaving it off made my scalp stop hurting and saved me from a truly bizarre look. I have sort of all or nothing attitude. I wasn't going to tolerate a strange, prickly scattering of faux hair; I wanted my full head of hair or a smooth, bare scalp.
This time, though, I found that my skill at shaving my head was dramatically improved. I've learned the rhythm and flow and I'm not nervous anymore. Of course, this is a skill I'll pretty much never need again! Isn't that how it usually works out? That's okay. I know I'm one mean shaving machine.
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