No Shave October/November aka Dude! What's Up With Your Head?!?

As the latter part of the title suggests, that's the exact question I'm trying to avoid for the next four weeks, so I thought I'd launch a preemptive strike.

I assure you, I'm okay. Let me say that again. I'm OKAY. But if I can get just one person to use more of this:

 

 

I'll feel as though I've accomplished something.

 

A couple of years ago I went to my dermatologist. There was a strange, wart-like object on my right shoulder. He assured me that it was probably nothing but he wanted to cut it out and take a look. (I wish he'd bet the farm that it was nothing. I'd be living on a nice spread near Reno.) Turns out it was basal cell carcinoma. He got it all and you can't even tell where he removed it. But, he wanted to check me out each year.

 

About a month ago, I returned to his office for my yearly check up. My torso looked good. Okay, it resembled the Michelin Man's but whatever.

 

Then he started checking out my scalp. He said he noticed there might be some pre-cancer so he wanted to do a treatment with a topical cream called Fluorouracil. It's basically a topical chemotherapy ointment to be applied to my scalp for three to four weeks.

 

Here are some of the possible side effects: swelling, peeling or blistered skin. So, at best, the top of my head will look like a bad sunburn. At worst, it may resemble the surface of Mercury. Other possible side effects are loose and bloody stools, nausea and possible hair loss.

 

So, to take the heat off of my head, so to speak, I decided to start growing a beard early. (November is typically the month men start sporting facial hair in support of cancer awareness.) If this treatment affects the awesome starter hedge I've got going, I'm going to be ticked.

 

I thought it might be interesting to chronicle this process. Again, I'm okay. Better to be safe than sorry. And I certainly do not mean to make light of or lessen the impact that actual chemotherapy treatments have had on any of my readers or those that are close to them. But please know, that if I can't laugh at this...

  

As the top of my head will be very sensitive during this time and as I typically keep my hair closely cropped, I decided to shave my head today to avoid having to clip it for a few weeks. So, not only am I follicly challenged to begin with, I now resemble a slightly less weird looking version of Shel Silverstein.

 

 

Okay. I look JUST as weird.

 

I start my treatment on the 15th. I'll keep you posted.

 

And remember, use your sunscreen!