Our "Crowning Glory."  When you hear this phrase what does it mean to you?  

 

It will invoke many different meanings to many of us.  But this week when I hear this phrase it relates to hair.  You know hair is something that all of us have, at birth anyway and then as we get older it may disappear.  And unless you belong to a royal family it is what is located at the top of our head and at most times will be our "crowning" glory.  

 

From the time we are born we comment on our hair.  Our baby pictures will show us with a head full of straight hair, a head full of curly hair or a head with no hair.  As we get older our pictures will show us with that little curl on top that our mothers lovingly made just for the first photo shoot. For girls, our school pictures will show us with pig tails and bobs and perms that made us look like Eartha Kitt.   Some pics may show us as a blond, a red head or a brunette. And who among us did not take a picture with the hair draped over one eye trying so hard to look  sexy.  You know that Lauren Bacall look. 

 

We spend thousands of dollars throughout our lifetime, making our hair curly or making it straight.  We cut it and we let it grow.  We color it and then we decide to return to its natural color, sometimes not even recalling what that might be.  Some of us still go to the beauty shop weekly and there are those of us who spend a lot of money on shampoos and conditioners, just wanting to achieve the right texture.  Years ago a once a week was sufficient and now it must be washed almost daily.  We all have dryers, curling irons, straighteners and any other new device on the market.

 

Now what am I getting at?  With my current health problem, I have become "hairless".  You might think what you would look like without any hair, but until it is all gone you have no idea. Last week Joan Lundon was featured on the front of a magazine without any hair.  She has been fighting breast cancer.

 

Now believe me, I am not a candidate for the front of a magazine or as a matter of fact, for the back pages in the advertisements. As a matter of fact, if I felt better I might think of what I could dress up at Halloween.  While at the beauty shop this week, I did not look in the mirror while the last remnants of may hair were shaved off.  My wig was put on and I walked out of the shop with a relatively good looking hairdo.  

 

After getting home I was reluctant to look at myself without the wig, but decided that eventually I would have to.  So I retired to the bathroom to have a good look.  It was shocking and I decided that I looked like my dad.  I hurried and put on a turban so that I would not have to see Dave's reaction. I wondered how he would feel waking up in the middle of the night to a bald headed women.  But we got through that and I have reconciled myself to the fact that soon it will be back.  And I have resorted to thinking about just what I might do with the money I am saving by not having a weekly beauty appointment.  

 

I keep a turban handy so that if someone comes to the door, they will not be in total shock.  The loss of hair is minor to the aching, nausea, ulcerated mouth and complete exhaustion that comes with the treatments.  I realize that this is temporary. We go through this in hopes of becoming cancer free.  

 

But try to convince any women that it is ok to be bald.  We have been taught our entire lives that our hair is our "Crowning Glory."  I am eagerly looking forward to the time when my crown will be back in place. In the meantime, I will think about a unique Halloween costume. 

 

Again I thank all of you for your prayers, your cards, your phone calls and your front porch visits.  They  mean a lot to me.

 

I encourage all of you to attend the PWA's Women of Distinction luncheon that will be held on October 9 at the Uptown Event Center.  I hope to be there and I am anxious to see all of you.  Please call (304) 624-6881 for reservations or information.

 

Remember October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Please be sure to schedule your mammogram.

 

Continue to keep in touch with me and until next week "Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine."