Monday, May 31, 2010

Hopeful

I say this with great caution but I met with my medical oncologist last week and she was amazing. After my experience with Dr. Saint, I am hesitant to praise a new doctor. But when someone looks you in the face and says that with my type of cancer she has had 100% non-recurrence, it is hard not to feel hopeful.

I have an ordeal ahead, no question about it, but I am facing it head on, stiff upper lip and all that. Then they told me that my eyebrows would fall out. I wasn't prepared for that. Exhaustion, hair loss, nausea, etc. but my eyebrows. I've always thought that they were my best feature. I've spent hours on them. I get them waxed regularly. I buy expensive eyebrow cosmetics. Now they are going to fall out. Actually, I shut it out when they said that, but a few days later while having my hair styled, my sister gently mentioned it again. And then came the tears.

I know they will probably grow back and maybe even more lucious and frankly, who cares. But it was just symbolic of this unknown territory that I am facing. Though others have been there before, everyone has a different experience. Mine will be my own. But I have learned that I really don't have to do this alone. Friends and family have rallied to my side and no want has gone unheard. Also, I have a doctor who seems to care and seems positive about my possibilities, now if someone will just recommend a good eyebrow tattoo artist, I'll be set.

4 comments:

  1. While the eyebrow thing may be reality setting in, you have a lot of spunk and real attitude (or do I mean Fortitude) well one of those! I say go with the tats! We have place here in Z-hills and I bet they can give you eyebrows just like Queen Tatania in A Mid Summer Nights Dream! or maybe that was Terrance Stamp In Prisscilla Queen of the Desert, either way you are on to a great idea!

    To further my bad quoting of the day "Turn that frown upside down!" Marlo Thomas as That Girl (1960 something) or was it Mary Tyler Moore... or maybe it was Doris Day....

    Help! I have fallen into a time loop and I can't get up!

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  2. I think today was your first day of Chemo. I can't imagine such a thing. Your friend Guy is funny too, like you. I fear tatooed eyebrows. What if they get one higher than the other and you have a perpetually suprised look, for the rest of your life. It isn't like the tatoo my daughter's ex-husband had on his arm, with his first wife's a name on it. All he had to do was get a bigger tatoo with a bigger flower and Julie's name on it. That was 27 years ago. By now, I am sure he has a flower garden covering his entire body with the names of 50 more women included. But I don't want to see you geting bigger and bigger eyebrows to make up for tatoo mistakes. Eventually, you would have a very low hair line and an atrocious beard. Helene

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  3. I think you will be even more gorgeous with no eyebrows and a stiff upper lip. It's a look you can pull off dear friend. Linda

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