Friends That Go Bald Together Stick Together

Denise and I have known each other since before kindergarten. Our parents were friends and hung out a lot, so we sort of grew up together. Except for the fact that we don't share any of the same DNA, we consider ourselves like sisters.

Recently Denise was diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Her first treatment was two weeks ago and the second round is scheduled for next week. When I saw her just a few days ago, I bet her a sushi lunch that the thick head of hair she was worried about loosing would not start to fall out until after her second treatment. I used to be a hairdresser, and she's got one of the thickest heads of hair I've ever seen, so I was really surprised by her phone call this morning to inform me that her hair started coming out.

I knew way back in April when Denise was first diagnosed that I was not going to stand by and let her loose her hair by herself. I decided I would shave my head when the time came. I would not have even given this a second thought had it not been for her apprehension about me doing this. I can't tell you how she has tried to talk me out of it. My only regret is that I wish I would have thought of this 2 years ago when Annie, another sister by association, was suffering terribly with a different kind of cancer. Having said that, I suppose part of the reason why I feel so strongly about doing this might be in part because of Anne Marie Fittipaldi. Like Denise, I'm sure Annie would have tried to get me to change my mind.

But I am not changing my mind. Tonight I am going to shave my head. In actuality, Denise will be the one with the clippers in hand since I don't think I could get a close shave on my own. I am going to proudly change my Facebook profile picture too. I will continue to shave my head until her hair starts to grow back.
I never want her to look at me while she's going through this and feel bad because I have my hair, and she does not.

I would not eat a big fat piece of chocolate cake in front of her if she was allergic to chocolate and could not eat any herself. Nor, would I drink a cocktail in front of her if she was a recovering alcoholic trying to stay sober. A friend would not do any of that, and so shaving my head is kind of the same principle. Besides, even though I know she would much prefer I keep my hair while she just appreciate the idea of me doing it, I hope that I might help other people going through this to feel better. I hope I have an opportunity to have someone I don't know with cancer approach me, because then I'll have a chance to not only tell them of my support of my best friend, but hopefully offer a little support for them too.