Saturday, October 11, 2008

Telling my hairdersser...

... about the breast cancer.

My favorite hairdresser in the world is in Red State. She's been my friend for a long time -- we used to work together in the beauty industry. When my job there dissolved, she ended up working elsewhere as well -- but we kept in touch. Just about the time Hubby started teaching down here, she opened her own salon and I could finally pay her for her haircuts -- and make appointments without guilt.

So, today I dropped in on her. I walked in with my hat on -- took it off and said, "I had a little trouble with my last haircut"....

Then I told her about the cancer and chemo. I'd considered telling her on the phone or via e-mail -- but, it was much better to tell her in person --- because she can see that the rest of me is the same, that I'm dealing with it well, and that things will be fine.

She's a lot like the older sister I never had -- and she took it well, as I knew she would. She has a variety of friends and relatives who are at or past their 5-year disease free rate with breast cancer. She also has a grandchild with a rare brain tumor who is finally on treatment that both works and isn't going to kill him -- so, she's been down the cancer road with a few folks.

She looked at the stubble on my head and said that I probably wouldn't have lost the hair I shaved -- but, it was probably better to shave it than have a male-pattern baldness look... and, she agreed that if the hair falling out made me feel sick -- it was a good decision to get rid of it once and for all.

She's also pretty outspoken, and she agreed that I need a good fake boob. I really need to get to the boob store and pick one out. Maybe next week....

Of all the really important folks in my life, she's the last one I had to tell. I'm glad I did it in person and I'm glad that I could look healthy while telling her --

4 comments:

Bardiac said...

For some reason, I'm smiling imagining this.

But seriously, my mind sort of boggles at the idea of a boob store. Oh, how I would have wanted somethings from there when I was a teenager and constantly teased!

Inside the Philosophy Factory said...

The one boob store I've been to -- the more realistic ones are about $400... per boob.

Less expensive than implants, more expensive than a sock in your bra...

Seeking Solace said...

Will insurance cover some of the cost?

Inside the Philosophy Factory said...

Yes - they cover most of it -- they'll actually cover two -- (even if I'm only missing one), but they don't cover the swim boob... which is odd, because you'd think they'd want to encourage exercise.