Hairy Situation

Photo by: Cindi K Mcdaniel

Studio EnVogue

My heart has been so full. Each week we experience new things, good and bad. New things that sometimes we are prepared for and sometimes we are not. As a family, we are prepared to be strong. I have watched as my family has woven itself tighter in the past few weeks than I have ever seen before--gives a WHOLE new meaning to "family bond". I watch my stepdad day in and day out watch over my mom like a hawk. He paces, he watches over her, follows her every move, feeds her...by hand if necessary. He provides her with security and peace. I watched yesterday as the two of them walked hand in hand in our backyard, just making laps in the sunshine. My mom wants to be stronger for us and we want to be strong for our mom.

One thing my mom has always wanted to do is take family photos...now more than ever. She especially wanted to take the pictures before she lost her hair to radiation. Cindy McDaniel at Studio EnVogue has done both of my sister's weddings and has become part of our family (while also doing an amazing job I might add) so it was no question who would get the honor of sharing this precious moment with us. After the session, my mom talked for days about how much fun she had. We danced, laughed, made jokes...I think for a while she forgot about the cancer. We were just a family. Those pictures are something we will certaintly all cherish forever.

After 11 days of radiation, the hair has started to fall. We all knew it would happen, but for a woman, it's not exactly something you can prepare yourself for. As I was sweeping away the clumps that had fallen onto my mom's shoulders this morning she looked over at me and told me she never thought it would be this difficult to let such a trivial thing like hair go. Although I could never imagine what she is going through, I told her exactly what I thought-- I would rather have her here than that hair anyday. We have come so far and I try to remind myself and her of that daily. A few weeks ago treatment wasn't even an option. A few weeks ago we couldn't have even imagined today. The way I look at it, all this hair hitting this floor is a celebration! A celebration for the fight. A celebration for another day of my mom's life.