These are the glory days; my most recovered moments until the next infusion, which is Thursday, January 26. For the most part I feel good, feel thankful to feel good, and my memory doesn't torture me with how crappy and miserable I felt when things got bad on the last round. I am quite optimistic that things will be better this time and enthusiastic to implement a few strategies that I hope will ensure less misery.

Experts say that people who take Adriamycin almost certainly lose their hair, and typically it starts on Day 10 after the first infusion. So, on Day 10, I started pulling on my hair to see what would happen. Well, nothing happened. Nor did anything happen on Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, or Day 14.

Meanwhile, I had invited Sophie (age 8) and Morgan (age 9) to cut my hair on Day 11, at a smallish party at my house.But before Day 11 came Day 8, which is when I started to chicken out. Why cut my hair right away? I do have a lot of hair. Why not just let it thin? I started worrying that I had promised the girls something that I was now going to back out on. My friend Elaine quickly talked some sense into me:

"Carolyn, it is YOUR hair. You do not have to get your hair cut." But she also said something equally sage: "It is just hair. Let it go." Those words traveled with me through days 8-9-10-11 as I contemplated whether to let two kids cut my hair and whether it would be mean to take this offer away.

On Day 10, Sophie was in Seattle with her parents, getting ready to visit me for the haircut party. I talked to Renee, her Mom. I told her that I wanted to back out. What did they think? Renee said that Sophie also wanted to back out. I think she thought the whole thing was kind of weird. And who I am to force an 8-year old to cut my hair when she would rather play with her American Girl doll? All of a sudden I had this awful image of Sophie lying on some psychiatrists couch in 20 years, paying $200 an hour because I had traumatized her by demanding a haircut when she was 8.

So, I had the haircut party on Day 11 and while there was plenty of food, drink, people, and scissors, no hair cutting happened. Until everyone left! It was down to me, Morgan, Sophie, Liz (Morgan's Mom) and my cousin Monica.

The girls starting talking about the haircut. Monica egged them on. I got them each a pair of scissors and the rest is history! I would say they took off 3-5 inches all the way around. Because my hair is so thick and wavy, it is not painfully obvious that my hair was cut by two kids, but there are many hints if you are even remotely observant.

Now it is Day 17. For the last five days I have really enjoyed walking around style conscious Palo Alto with a very bad haircut. I dont know what it is, but I feel very smug that I am one of the few women of my demographic within a five mile radius that did not pay upwards of $100 for my coiffure.

So where are we with the alopecia? I was showering on Day 15 and low and behold, I found about ten hairs in my hand! As ridiculous as this sounds, I was kind of thrilled. Finally the much anticipated hair loss! And it keeps coming. Every time I run my hand through my hair, I get a few more strands. I am not sure what my next move is. I may get a much shorter cut before I go cue ball or I may just see how it thins. Believe you me I am keeping busy sweeping all that hair up!

So, that is the story of the Sophie Morgan haircut. Have a great week everyone!