Mommy's New 'Do

In all my life, my mom has had long, dark hair. It has been rumored that in high school she had very short, curly hair like all other 1960's teens...but I'm not so sure I believe it. But now it is short and sweet.

Until the last day of her 5 week hospital stay, she had a drainage tube coming out of her back and she was connected to a fluid collection box all the time. It was a nuisance for her to walk further than the sink to brush her teeth or use her portable commode so she didn't shower at all. (She did bathe, but her hair was never truly washed. A few times the nurses used a dry shampoo shower cap thing on her hair but it do anything to degrease her hair. I'm pretty sure those caps are completely useless.)

In downtown Livermore there's a great little salon called Anita's Salon & Scalp Clinic that specializes in cancer patients and other people losing their hair (they are a full salon, too, if you just want a cut or color). They fit people for wigs and have all sorts of products for irritated scalps. The ladies there are so wonderful, patient, and understanding.

My mom's hair was still in the braids I'd made two weeks previously, so we weren't yet sure if her hair was falling out from the chemo. After it was combed, we tugged at her scalp but didn't see any hair coming out.

So the lady washed my mom's hair about 4 times with yummy-smelling minty stuff. My mom was in absolute heaven, let me tell you. She just laid back in the comfy chair and closed her eye as the lady massaged her scalp. Once it was clean, she moved back to the big chair and had her hair cut into a really cute, short bob. The layering in the back make it look much fuller.

I think it looks fabulous. She looks really gaunt in this picture, which I guess she is these days, but it isn't nearly as obvious in person:
I made her a standing appointment at the salon for every Saturday afternoon to have her hair/head washed. (I'll ask the lady to give her a good 40 minute scrub...so she can bliss out for a while.)

=)