Chemo, inspiration for a wig, and a puzzling lunch

I decided to buy a wig and false eyelashes.

I will wear them on occasion as accessories, and not try to hide the fact that I'm hairless. I'm inspired to do this by my friend who bought a wig while bald, and by Russell Day, a Pacific Northwest master of fine craft. About ten years ago, I was assisting a video producer who was making a film about Russell and interviewing Chuck Close at the Seattle Art Museum. He had been a student of Russell's. He told a funny story about Russell wearing a toupee like others would wear a hat, i.e. only when he felt like it.

I've always remembered that.

I bought the wig and false eyelashes at Display & Costume Supply after chemo this morning.

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To prepare for chemo, I put Lydocaine on the skin over my chest port.

A special bandage goes over the Lydocaine, to hold it against the port and numb it, which takes about an hour.

The bandage is more like a piece of plastic wrap with stick-em around the outside, than like a traditional bandage.

I've been impressed with the amount of trash that's created in the hospital, and how there doesn't seem to be any recycling around. If there is, the medical staff don't appear to think of sorting what trash they create.

The bandage, out of its envelope, is like a view screen.

The stick-em goes against my skin and seals in the Lydocaine.

I peel the white paper off, which leaves only the plastic. Sometimes, if I feeling especially reckless, I'll leave the white paper on.

And now I have Lydocaine constrained under plastic, working hard at numbing the skin that's stretched over the chest port.

When I got to the clinic, the always-friendly man behind the check-in counter told me "I've got you in a room by yourself, right next to the window with a lovely view."

That sounded so nice!

I took advantage of the sun to take a photo of what I look like these days. I give me the creeps.

I got set up on the bed with my audio book, headphones, crocheting, and tea. I arranged the head-end and foot-end of the hospital bed to be more comfortable. Once I was settled, the RN came and did the blood draw. The Lyodocaine did its job and I hardly felt the big-ass needle puncture my skin.

When she was done, I went over to the Oncology side of the house because my Onologist's RN always wants to see my henna tattoo. She was correctly impressed.

I returned to the Infusion Center and settled in. I'm listening to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and crocheting myself a lighter hat for spring.

After about a half-hour the RN returned with the poison. She hooked me up and got the drip going. 

An hour later, and a couple of trips under the bed to retrieve balls of yarn (this is a special skill when hooked up to an IV), I was done. The Charge Nurse was walking by my room and came in and turned the machine off. She said "I always remember that you're a vegan. Your lunch will be her in a half hour. Want to wait for it?"

I did. I was hungry, and I'd been light-headed for a few minutes while being unenthusiastically infused with poison.

About a half hour later it showed up. My vegan lunch.

It was okay. It did what I needed it to do. I kept looking at the milk, wondering about it. Why, why, why?

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After I left the Chamber of Horrors, I went to Display & Costume Supply to buy a wig and false eyelashes. While I was trying on wigs, and young girl stared at me. I told her "I'm bald because I'm on chemo." She said, "Oh," kind of sad and "I love your tattoo."

The sales person who helped me with wigs said about the one I bought "It glows in the dark under a black light." That clinched it for me.

I then went to Value Village to buy larger clothes. I'm gaining weight and I hate wearing tight pants. I got a bunch of clothes that I'll wear while I'm large and donate back when I'm not.

I feel okay right now and expect I'll feel craptastic on Sunday.