Sunday, January 4, 2009

On the subject of hair .....


As coincidence would have it, I was planning on posting today about Zoey's hair and I actually received a comment that included an inquiry on Zoey and her not appearing to have lost any hair yet.As you can probably see,Zoey's hair is as crazy as ever.Zoey and her hair have been a topic of conversation since birth.She was born with her fair share of it but by a few hours old she had had her first "haircut".Not by design but by necessity to keep her alive.They accessed major veins in her head,the easiest for babies,to stabilize and administer much needed medication.It was a relatively minor "haircut" at first but when she took a turn for the worse a few weeks later,a more extreme "doo" was in order.In the NICU Zoey's hairstyle was dubbed a "Zo-hawk".A name that stuck with her until her hair grew in more uniformly.Then there is the color.Her hair color is not like any of our other children.And much as I would like to say she "got" it from me,mine comes courtesy of my friend Summer,every 4 weeks.People are forever commenting on the color and I wish I could tell them who she gets it from but like everything else,it is unique to Zoey.When Zoey was first diagnosed,I ever so briefly thought about her losing her hair.But it was brief and fleeting and all I truly cared about and still care about is that she conquer this latest battle.Hair will grow back,really absolutely inconsequential.When we talked to the nurses,as chemo began that first week,we did inquire as to when they usually see the kids lose their hair.Their response was the same as it always is when we ask broad spectrum question,"Every child is different."So here we are,end of Round 2 and Zoey still has not lost any of her hair.Perhaps it is slightly thinner but nothing really to speak of.There is another little girl who has Down syndrome and AML on the 4th floor,Sol Merie is her name,she is at the end of her 3rd Round and she too has not lost a bit.In fact there are moments when I think both girls hair is actually growing!I did ask the doctors,a question I felt silly asking but asked anyway,I asked if it meant "it" is not working.He said he hears that same question from other parents and no,it has nothing to do with anything.And since we do know "it" is working,the hair thing again becomes inconsequential.So we wait,like with everything else.One day it will begin to fall out.Unexpectedly and without warning.I will most certainly have a twinge of sadness but like everything else that has come our way on this journey with our little Zoey,we will find the silver lining.Like the fact we get to see her sweet little flat back of her head.It always was one of our favorite things about her when she was a baby.I can't wait to stroke it and reminisce about when she was ever so tiny.And after all is said and done,when her hair begins to grow once more,we will marvel in perhaps the new color or new texture.Just another thing to look forward to.Another new chapter in the chronicles of Miss Zoey.

4 comments:

Kele said...

Love the pic, her and Jessica both look so pretty!
The only thing I would care about her losing is that smile, and it looks like that is safely planted on her precious face TO STAY!

Anonymous said...

Well, I must agree, Zoey is unique to say the least. Her smile is a mile wide! LOVE IT!

Hopefully, the hair loss wont make it's way to little Zoey. Sounds like you are prepared tho., Although, so was I. We first had Carly's hair cut into a cute bob(her hair was waist length). When it did start to come out, I thought I was prepared, but in fact, I was heart broken and sick to my stomach.

Carly has lost her hair 3 times to chemo. The last time she had another full head of hair that actually looked like a bob doo. She lost it all again and had to start over. I just kept telling myself, "it's only hair, it will grow back. She is kickin cancer's butt and that's all that matter's".

Isn't amazing how these kids find happiness no matter what they face? I was asked, more than once, "How do you do this" in terms of chemo and hospital stays and so on...My response was always, "because Carly keeps on keeping on. She continues to march forward and so do I". These kiddo's have such a fighting spirit.

Joany and Carly

Anonymous said...

All of Zoey is beautiful. Did you tell everyone that she was a surfer girl this summer as her hair lightened up too..... Cutie pie. Hope you all are well, thoughts are with you, Christi Harman

Anonymous said...

Wow Jessica - how far you have gone & grown since you left the East Coast! Were you two, 2 1/2? I know Caitlin was a mere 6 months or so. Time does fly.....
( Good times or not)


Keep on smiling, smiling little one.....

Hugs to everyone

Bluebelle