To Rip or Not to Rip...

Sometimes ripping the bandaid straight off is the easiest and less painful way to go in hard situations. However, In all the chemo stories and cancer journeys I have read, they all say that going from long hair straight to GI Jane style can have a pretty big impact on you mentally and emotionally so everyone recommends just chopping your hair short in the couple weeks leading up to baldness. So, today we went and chopped my long hair...goodbye Pocahontas status hair. I've always had long hair so going short isn't really something I wanted, but will make getting ready for appointments much easier and feel less dramatic when I wake up and start to see hair on my pillow that's short vs a foot long! I am told I will lose my hair 2-3 weeks after starting chemo Monday. I will then get it completely shaved.....this may or may not be done at the hat party just depending on timing....TBD Then your hair doesn't start growing back till about 6 weeks after you are done with chemo which will be Febuaryish for me...so I'm pretty much not going to have hair for well over a year.

Things I'm looking forward to:
~NOT HAVING TO SHAVE...ANYTHING (guys, this is indescribably the "perk" of chemo...don't be too jealous)
~no having to get my eyebrows waxed or pluck them
~not buying shampoo/conditioner/razors/hair ties/brushes etc.
~it being totally socially appropriate (at least in my head....which lets face it, that's the only thing that matters) to show up to chemo in a comfy onesie pajama outfit since getting cold is inevitable and who can really be depressed if you're in a onesie pajama?!
~Netflix binging my life away (ok, maybe I shouldn't say my life away in my particular situation...but to my little fluid filled hearts content!)
~watching Ellen everyday!!! (I mean, I should totally be on her show with all this craziness.....totally putting that on my goal and bucket list!)
~after chemo starts: my face and neck swelling going down, being able to breath again, not being as tired, not cough 24-7, hot flashes, night sweats only nightmares of made of (unfortunately, I was told this will be one of the last things to go away....maybe even months after chemo is done...bummer)
~exchanging my teaching/3-4 additional job stress for health and financial stress....but not working for the first time in my life will definitely be an adjustment even if not by choice
~Being home with Brodie everyday....who needs a guy when your best friend and fur child doesn't leave your side?! : )

THANKS TO MY SISTER FOR TAKING ME TO GET MY HAIR CHOPPED! WE CUT OVER A FOOT OFF : / BUT IT'LL ONLY LAST FOR 2-3 WEEKS ANYWAY SO IT DOESN'T MATTER...