Once Mom had a drawer full of wigs. I have no idea where she got them. Her hair had become so grey and thin, perhaps she decided wigs were the answer. I tried on every one of those brown mops of hair and they all looked hideous on me. I decided then and there that wigs weren't for me.
Now, I have no choice but to wear wigs. It's either that or going bald, and bald is not beautiful.
About the first question I asked my doctor before beginning chemotherapy treatment was, "Will I lose my hair?" How vain is that? Another fact about chemo -- not all lose their hair. Though I haven't had nausea or much pain, I did lose my hair as my doctor said I would.
About three weeks into the procedure, my thick hair began falling out. I'd often said that hair makes a person. And if I wanted to look good, I just made sure my hairdo was great. But now I went to a barber and had him cut off most of it.
I looked like a skinned hog. I shed like a dog or cat. How can one have a positive attitude with no hair? I remember when Teresa had a poodle. Sometimes its hair would get so long and matted I'd take it to the hair groomer and she'd shave it all off. That dog would be so embarrassed it would hide under the bed.
I know how it felt. I knew my granddaughter would enjoy taking me shopping for a wig, so she became my designated shopper. As I tried on one wig after another that I thought would be so glamorous, I finally said, "They make me look like a little old lady with a wig."
Duh? When I finally put on a grey wig, it was better. Morgan took a picture and sent it to her mom, who texted back that she liked it. (Oh, this modern technology!) Later my siblings said they liked my wig, so I guess the pic was sent to them by email. Thanks a lot!
I told Morgan she might as well put it on Facebook, saying, "granddaughter helps grandmother find wig before chemo causes her to lose hair." I was sure it would go viral.
While shopping for wigs, which I found from free to costing hundreds of dollars, I learned that real hair wigs go for up to a thousand dollars. Why do free locks of love cost more than synthetic wigs? I settled for a synthetic wig.
In a devotional last week I read, "Life often throws us an unexpected curve ball, but it isn't the end of the world ... Whatever you are going through, seek the lesson that can be learned."
So what can I learn from sporting a bald head? All I can think of is humility. More humility!
Sister Cynthia wrote, "That's one good thing that has come out of all this -- no care hair!" I just slap on my wig and away I go. Except I don't feel much like going. I'm not only bald, I'm weak. Oh, well, it's only four more months of no hair.
Marie Putman is a former Gravette resident and regular contributor to the Westside Eagle Observer.Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 09/03/2014