On the Road to Normalcy

Most people would consider going through cancer treatment one of the toughest things a person can face in their lifetime; your body becomes ill and you must deal with the accompanied stress and uncertainty of your health. Once a cancer patient is considered to be in remission, most people believe it becomes easier to deal with, however, the road from remission to normalcy may sometimes be as tough as, if not more difficult than, treatment itself.

With that said, the last few months haven't been a walk in the park, but as the days and weeks pass by I can see and feel the improvement in my health. I would definitely say that training for a marathon has helped expedite my overall improvement. My first follow-up appointments with my oncologist and radiologist were good; both confirmed that I was recovering beautifully from treatment. Luckily, I don't have to go back for another doctor's appointment until mid-April for a CAT scan, and then once again in early June to see my oncologist. After that I'll have 6-month appointments until I'm back to the normal annual doctor's appointment with my primary physician.

Today, I went to get my first haircut since chemotherapy, where I lost pretty much all of my hair. Surprisingly it has taken almost three months for me to be comfortable enough to cut my hair: I wanted to wait until every patch of baldness disappeared and I needed to wait until the radiation burns on my neck completely healed. Before entering the salon, I was a little nervous that my stylist's inquiries about hair care would lead to a discussion of my illness. (I always attempt to avoid directly discussing cancer with those whom aren't already aware of it. The last thing I want is for someone to feign pity.) Luckily, I've become quite adept at maneuvering conversations so as to avoid cancer-talk completely. My haircut was quick and successful! After a lovely scalp massage and shampooing, it took about ten minutes for my haircut to be complete. I would be lying if I said that I was not overjoyed to have my hair cut; it not only means that my body is healthy enough to grow copious amounts of cranial hair, but it also makes me feel a little bit more normal. People usually take for granted that they have to cut their hair every two to three months (depending on one's interest in hair care) and they don't realize how such a simple and mundane act can be so important. Anyway, I'm happy with my physical appearance. Now all I need to do is work on my endurance for my fast-approaching marathon!