Expecting Miracles

I know that it’s a lot to ask for more than one miracle and if it comes down to having to choose of course I’m going to choose the Completely Cancer Free miracle, plus world peace and wonderful karma to all of the people who are helping me through this. And an end to the chemo side effects that have been plaguing me.

But if I get another one, I’d really like a miracle haircut.

I know this is superficial and not important in the grand scheme of things and I’m super lucky that I even get to keep my hair because of the non-hair-loss kind of chemo I’m getting, but when you’re a Sick Person (even one who plans on this being a very temporary sort of thing) the last thing you want is to look like a sick person. It doesn’t make anyone happy. It makes people look at you with sad frowny faces.

All I ask is a haircut that looks cute all of the time despite the fact that sometimes I’m too tired to style it and tend to sleep on it when wet so it dries into weird little smooshy messes. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?

I even made an appointment last week to try for a miracle haircut but unfortunately all of my Big Plans were interrupted by a lovely nausea vomiting jag that two days of outpatient re-hydration and drugs couldn’t cure and which landed me back in the hospital last Saturday. And I’ve been here ever since.

There are no miracle haircuts on the 13th floor of OHSU.

Plus, the whole nausea vomiting thing has kind of taken over as a priority. It’s difficult to think about haircuts when you are doing the breathing-slowly-counting-to-ten-trying-to-keep-everything-that-is-in-your-stomach-just-exactly-where-it-is thing.

Fortunately, I think that the docs here have finally (after seven days) put together the right cocktail of drugs to stop the nausea and are, fingers crossed, going to send me home today. Where I can go back to obsessing about important things like haircuts.

Wishing you all a fabulous day with perfect hair and whatnot!

Bridget

23 replies on “Expecting Miracles”

  1. Your hair always looks miraculously perfect, Bridget. You have the best hair of anyone I know. I’m so glad it is not falling out. And I hope you get the haircut you’re dreaming of (even though your hair, as I just said, is perfect naturally).

  2. When my partner was told she had to go directly to the hospital to have her appendix out, the first thing she did in the car was put her hair in pigtails. They gave her a cuteness boost, didn’t get in the way lying down like a ponytail can, and kept her hair from getting too messy.

    The downside was that she wasn’t really up to rebraiding them herself for a couple of days, and the (male) nursing assistant gave it a good try but had obviously never learned to braid!

    Best wishes for getting to go home soon. šŸ™‚

  3. I bet you just need some Bed Head Hair sprucer upper. Do you have Bed Head products in your city? That would help when your hair feels yucky and limp until you can get home and fix it up pretty again.

    Oh, and you can never ask for too many miracles from God. He loves it when we ask. He may not always grant what we are asking for but he always listens – and it’s never too much for Him.

    I am so happy to see you back blogging. I love reading your blog.

  4. Bridget, I hope you get that great haircut. But regarding the nausea, this week, there was a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about a new study that shows ginger helps against chemo nausea. I can’t find the link to the Journal Sentinel story but here are a couple other links. Maybe this is something worth discussing with your doctor. The links are: http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/1575536,CST-NWS-cancer15.article

    http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/14/health/main5015209.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_5015209

    My thoughts and prayers are with you always.

  5. Hoping you get to go home, that you’re feeling better, and enjoying the sun that is peeking out. And your hair always looks so pretty.

    šŸ™‚

  6. Amanda, you are too sweet, as always. I think you might change your mind if you saw the gigantic forest of crazy hair on top of my head. Speaking of which, when are you going to come visit?

    Thanks Kim and Carolyn — you are both too kind (as I know you’ve actually seen my crazy hair lately). I did get to enjoy the sun today — it was so nice to finally be home and to bask in the sun on the front porch.

    Thanks Carla and thanks Janet for the link. I’ve heard a couple of people talking about the ginger study. I hope my oncology team is open to the idea.

    Dave, how can you have forgotten how weird I look with short hair?

  7. Bridge, I love you like a sister, but you gotta realize the opportunity you have here to do something totally awesome and out of character with your hair.

    Ginger mohawk.

    I’ll say it again.

    Ginger mohawk.

    Janet got it wrong. The Milwaukee paper ran an article saying that the treatment for Nausea was a ginger mohawk. I know. I live in Milwaukee.

    Be cool.

    Do what I say.

    Ginger Mohawk.

  8. I’m not adverse to mohawks ginger or otherwise, Dave, but I think I might get too cold. All that bare skin up there open to the elements. And you can’t wear a hat, or what’s the point of a mohawk, right?
    I’ll have to take this under advisement.

  9. grrlpup, i can see the appeal of pigtails. maybe I’ll try them on friday and see how it works in the chemo chair. unless Dave has talked me into a mohawk by then.

  10. Personally, I like to hide under hats or bandanas when I have a bad hair day. My friend Roxie has dozens of cool hats. Maybe you could start a collection for those days you just don’t have the energy to mess with your hair. I vote for a Cat in the Hat hat. šŸ™‚

  11. Bridget, A satan pillowcase is what you need! After sleeping on a satan pillowcase your hair is a lot better than plan ol’ cotton…..

    FYI Hairdressers can be talked into coming to the hosipital to do haircuts….

    We love you…. Katie McGinn

  12. Oh, it is so weird to read the words “Bridget” and “drugs” and know they are inextricably connected right now. I have always liked your hair, no matter the style/cut. The important thing is having hair. Right? Your thick, flowing locks are right where they’re supposed to be, on the Bridget Zinn noggin’. Please don’t get a mohawk. I beg you. LOL.

  13. Bridget, people spend tons of money for what your hair is doing. It’s called “the tousled look.” All you need is pouty model lipstick and an expression that says you’re doing it on purpose. Trend-setter! (p.s. I wasn’t clear–are you back home yet?)

  14. Need a barber who can come to you? Bill cuts my hair and Brian’s too. He learned how in the Army so short is his specialty, although I’m not sure he’s up to a mohawk. He won’t mind if you’re feeling queasy or even if you are outright sick. He’s completely unflappable. (seriously, don’t even try, the man cannot be flapped)
    We’re all thinking strong thoughts for you Bridget!

  15. If anyone can do that for you, Jessica can. I’ve been seeing her for 10 years, but she’s been awesome for me from the very beginning. She’s pricey, but worth it. Just be honest with her about what you want/need. šŸ™‚

    Jessica Clark
    Bouffant Salon
    503-224-4099
    http://www.bouffanthairsalon.com/

  16. Women think of changing our hair because it’s something we CAN change!! With your lovely color and strong jaw and altogether adorable features, I think pixie is the way to go, as Dave has already mentioned. Like a little ’20’s bob with bangs, angled back to front. Can’t wait to see a picture. I hope to see you at the auction, but for sure do not stress yourself or expose yourself if you are not up to it! We all love and admire you from afar.

  17. Wow, I am really behind on responding to comments. Katie, satin pillowcase is an awesome idea. I won’t mention any names but the term “rat’s nest” ih reference to my hair has been bandied about my household when I get up in the morning. Maybe that would be a solution. Emily, you have it so right, I would totally rather call it “the tousled look”. šŸ™‚ I am not mentioning names because the bandier claims to be painting my toe nails today and I don’t want to miss out on that.
    Georgia, drugs and Bridget actually do not do very well together as I’m finding out. Apparently, you can’t live a healthy drug free life and suddenly start dumping them on. My body just ejects them as soon as possible. Not fun. We’re working on this.
    Thank you Melissa and Shelli.
    Rosanne and Kristi thanks for the hairdresser recs but I happily fell into a great hairdresser at the last minute. Yay!
    Susan, you are so sweet. I still have length. Enough for a ponytail, just in case!

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