Read Chrissy Like Chrissy on Facebook Follow Chrissy on Twitter Follow Chrissy's Pins Contact Chrissy

Monday, November 13, 2006

Romance News Update and Eyebrow Adventures

Romance News is up and good and guess what??? I didn't have to do it. Oh, yes, I edited it, and made a few executive decisions. I wrote an article and a "changes" piece, but this month I didn't do any reviews. Our new staffer, Shannon, is a wonder. We love her. Less work for me at this time in my life is a huge help, what with treatments constantly changing and daily causes for slight hysteria. Did I mention my eyebrows fell out?

What does a girl do when her eyebrows fall out? More importantly, what does she do when only PART of her ebrows fall out? Would you believe this is the ridiculousness I am dealing with this week?

Last month big sections of my eyebrows did fall out during chemo. Quite a bit of hair went south, too, but there are wigs and creative cutting, etc to bail you out of fashion hell in that case. Hey, Vera Bradley makes baseball caps now, so I'm good to go. My problem arose from the partiality of the experience. Do I shave the normal-looking bit on the inside? Do I pluck or shave the extension on the outside, from the point of interrupted chasm? Or do I simply draw in the gap?

I went the artistic route and left what I still had alone, using one of those eybrow kits you get at the pharmacy to connect the dots. My friend Maria was a big help. She claims that all Latin women have a natural gift with eyebrow repair. Not sure what that's all about, but she was certainly adept at tutoring me.

The interesting thing is how cancer (and I hope, someday, pulmonary fibrosis, but so far not so much) can bring little moments of coolness into our lives. Don't get me wrong, and don't call the Pollyanna police. I'm not saying I would ever sign up for another round of chemo, or that I have enjoyed having cancer come back to haunt me repeatedly. I wouldn't. But I was taught by very wise women over my 41 years to look for the lesson in everything, because pain is my teacher. Every heartache is a lesson in need of learning.

The lessons this round of cancer taught me were patience, preparedness, and eyebrow repair 101. Treating it removed me from the PF treatments I cling to for just a little while. I was scared, and I rarely feel genuine, bone-deep fear. I had to wait it out and have faith I could get back on that merry-go-round, and faith came through once more. Being prepared to hear the diagnosis was something I'd practiced before... and have apparently mastered. Ahmed is a big part of that, but Ahmed is a big part of everything that matters.

As for eyebrows, you never know when a friend is going to teach you a valuable new skill. Plus it got me some time with Maria. She is an amazing woman and an incredible friend... and hell on wheels with an NYC Eyebrow Kit!

2 comments ]:[ Add your comment:

Anonymous said...

Olieeee!!!

I want to say I think your eyebrows look great. It was fantastic to see you this morning. I used to come to your blog all the time but sometimes I forget to check in.

Know nothing about ebooks and glad. What a lot of rubbish from childish people.

You never change. Always looking out for friends and never afraid of the fight. Why we elected you QUEEN!!!

Great to see you doing so well.

-Pierre

Heather said...

What a terrific attitude you have - always able to find the humor in any situation. :)

Post a Comment