Tuesday, November 1, 2011

October: In Like a Lioness. Out Like a Sheared Lamb.

I told my husband of my planned blog title and he chuckled at the sheer cheesiness of it. But, you know what...I AM cheesy and I like it!

So, I decided to end the month of October 2011 by shaving every last bit of hair off of my (thankfully) normal-shaped head. Too be quite honest, I do not think any of my hairs were actually still attached to my scalp...they were just being held in by other hairs and perhaps hairspray and dirt. Each time I ran my fingers through my hair, piles of it were coming out. If I dared to run a brush or comb through it...or (as I did on Sunday) a flat iron...I had even more hair attached to the styling apparatus than my head. Ha. And my scalp had this strange "prickly" feeling...like it kinda hurt, but not really and I have no way to explain it. It was just a weird feeling.

I spent the entire day trying to get myself pumped up. I was quite successful at the getting pumped up part. But, as I stood there last night, with the clippers in my hand, I had that feeling of "once I start this, there is no going back". Finally, my husband, who was right there cheering me on and assisting me said "Just do it"! And, so I did. 

At first, I did all the clipping, while my husband took photos (pictures to follow). Of course, my hands can only reach so far and I ended with a sort of "extreme mullet". We still had some people ringing our doorbell for trick or treat and it was very tempting to go answer with this new look. But, instead...my husband and I just stood in the bathroom and laughed at me. My hubs finished the back and then after some warm water soaking, we attempted to close-shave it with a ladies bic razor. Thinking now that a more expensive professional razor may have worked better, but oh well. We did the best we could. I asked my husband during this process "did you ever think you would be shaving your wife's head?" "Umma...no." It is impossible not to bond and be closer going through this "event" together.

Today...I am still adjusting.  Putting on a scarf or a hat here and there and then taking it off and walking around in all my baldness. The dog was a bit confused when he first saw me and even appeared to hide behind my husband, but he seems adjusted now.  

Anyway...I was thinking about how...you know...its Autumn and the leaves are changing and starting to fall. The trees will be barren throughout the Winter. And in the Spring, new blossoms will take place and everything will become alive and beautiful. I see my hair this way. I am just following along with nature. During my winter treatments, my head will stay barren (though I have the option of decorating it however I please). Come spring, when my treatments end, my hair will start blossoming and growing in. New growth. New beginnings. And so it goes.


The Before Shot

The Tool and the Liquid Courage

The First Cut


The Floor

The Extreme Mullet

What My Husband Did to the Back of My Head

The Floor Again



The End Result (well this is actually before the close-shave)

5 comments:

  1. You are very brave and courageous, Vashni! I hope you stay strong in your battle. I know you will beat this!!

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  2. By the way, I think you look great!!

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  3. You look beautiful! Not all people have the perfect head shape like you. As I learned about your new adventure today (I know I have not been the best facebook buddy) I was saddened. But I do know how strong and brave you are and always haven been. Thinking about this brought back memories of that eventful year. You are such and inspiration to me (and always have been). You will be in my daily thought and prayers. Thank you for sharing your story with us

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  4. Oh Vash, how you make me cry and laugh all at once! I'm so thankful you have Roberto to help you through this. I couldn't help but think it's good I wasn't the one who was supposed to be helping, because knowing us, we'd have been rolling on the floor amongst your hair (maybe my hair, too, if we got too carried away!), laughing and crying till we couldn't breathe! I love you!

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  5. Vashni - even in a difficult time, you still have your kind sense and humor. Know I am thinking and praying for you. I am glad your closer so your mom can be there, keep smiling you look beautiful. Shelley Rhodes

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