Big day. Big day. Went wig shopping with Andrea'. I had a noon appointment with the twice recommended Bonnie at Pat Painter's Wig Salon on Burnet Road. We tried on several wigs in different colors and styles. I chose a short bob, kind of like my haircut, but with bangs, in a dark chocolate color. Not quite black, but almost. I love the pic of me and Andrea' posing in blond wigs. I love that the wig I wore comes standard with black roots. Nice. The other was a nice black shaggy wig. But we decided to get a shorter one to make it easier to take care of. My wig will be here on Tuesday and then we can make an appointment to get my wig cut and styled and thinned out. I learned that wigs come with 10 to 30% more hair than they need. You are supposed to get them cut while wearing them. So that is the plan. I also bought a few pretty head wrap scarfy things. I didn't post a pic of the wig I bought. You will just have to wait till it comes in and gets cut for me. I thought a surprise would be nice.

But in the hubbub of trying on wigs and messing and pulling and tugging on my hair, I noticed that my hairline had receded a ragged inch or so. I really lost a lot of hair today. And when I got home I continued to fuss with it and worry it and confirmed that I could easily pull out almost hunks of it. And my scalp felt funny. Kind of itchy and a little painful when I touched my hair. I decided I couldn't handle another shower like the one I had yesterday where I watched my hair run down the drain. The plan had been to let Bonnie shave my head next week when my wig came in. But I didn't like the panicked feeling and the helplessness of it all.

So I called Andrea' and talked to her about it. She and I decided to just do it and she came right over. She was scheduled to leave town at 7:00 with her friend Melissa, but she had Melissa meet her at my house and they would leave from here. Thanks to these ladies for changing their plans a bit to accommodate an impromptu head shave.

It was hard. Really hard. She asked me if I was ready and I said no. I wasn't ready. But when would I ever be ready? Never. You are never ready to be forced into such a decision. Do you want to lose your hair tonight all at once or gradually over the next week or so? Hmmm. Isn't there another option? Apparently not. So I cried and Andrea' cried and David looked distraught and took a few pictures. The cat played with the hair as it fell to the floor and Jackson played obliviously nearby. He came over from time to time to watch and didn't seem at all disturbed to see my hair being removed from my head. I am glad he got to see it happen, so I didn't just surprise him with it. He doesn't seem to care at all. And David has been wonderful. He says I look really cute and have a perfect round head. I think he really means it. He thinks I look cute. Good man, good man.

I am debating on whether to post any of the head shaving pics. I still feel a little raw from the experience. But perhaps I should just do it and get it over with. The world will have to see me like this for the foreseeable future. So I may as well take that plunge and post an unflattering picture of me with a Mohawk.

Me...with a Mohawk. Is there anything more surreal than that?