Hair Loss Begins - Wednesday, August 5, 2009

On the morning of the 14th day after chemo, I noticed as I brushed my hair that a more than normal amount fell out. I was so alarmed that I checked my chemo patient folder for the list of side effects only to find confirmation that on the 14th day, severe hair loss begins. I cannot describe adequately how panic stricken I was that morning.
I arrived at work only to burst into tears once inside the door. I do not know how I made it through the department head meeting that day without crying. Lea, who is also a beautician, offered to take me shopping for a wig. She took me to a beauty supply store after work where I tried on several. They all looked extremely fake. I was even more discouraged.
Each day, more gobs of hair fell from my head. One night, as I wet my hair in the shower in order to wash it, so much came out in the water flow that it felt like a blanket of fur had dropped on my shoulders. It was an indescribably horrible feeling. From that day on, I decided to wash my hair over the tub first then take a shower because it was so hard to keep my hair from going down the drain while washing it and crying at the same time.