Monday, February 7, 2011

Don't try this at home

Okay so I can't bathe until the drains are out. Yuck. But my kind Bradley has been giving me a sponge bath every day to make sure I don't get smelly. They take forever, but at least I'm clean.

The only thing we haven't touched was the hair. The surgeon was very clear about staying dry and not getting the incisions wet. We figured I could go a week without washing my hair. But, umm...when you sleep in a recliner and lay on your back all day, your hair does not want to wait a week to get taken care of. I started looking like a homeless person.

So I asked around. Not one, not two, but several people suggested that I try a dry shampoo.
It's what you spray in your hair between washes, if your hair gets greasy. You spray it on, and comb it out. Voila, beautiful hair.


Sounds easy. I talked to my wonderful soon to be mother in law about it. She kindly agreed to pick some up for me today on her way to visit me. Sweet.
Model hair, here I come!

She came, she brought it over and we had a lovely visit. Once she left Brad and I got to work. We read the instructions on the bottle carefully. Okay, this is not rocket science. Spray, then comb.

I covered my face with a towel so I wouldn't inhale the aerosol spray and Brad went to town spraying - until he was done. Then he took a step back, and laughed. Laughed.

That was not the right response. I look puzzled. "What? You need to comb it out first." He goes to the bathroom and hands me a mirror - still laughing. I take a look. Oh shit. I look like grandma. It turned my hair grey. All of it. So, not only do I have greasy hair, it's now grey to boot. Awesome. I laugh too. We both laugh so hard that we cry and my stitches hurt.

Then we open the windows to let the aerosol spray out - it's all I can smell.

We need a plan B.

So, we opt for the 'me-kneeling-on-the-floor-by-the-bathtub-bending-over' option. Brad throws a bunch of towels on me to keep the water from getting in. We begin. 5 minutes and it's over. He does a great job. When he's done he proceeds to wrap my hair in a towel turban style - that part he didn't do so great (but he's a boy after all!) All in all, my hair is washed. We proceed to dry it and brush it - team effort - and when it's all done, I look like my old self again.


I have not laughed this hard in a long time. In fact, neither of us have. I love that even with drains hanging out, and stitches all across my chest, my Bradley and I can enjoy each other like any other ordinary day. In fact, he ordered us some wonderful take out and later, we may enjoy a walk after dinner... even if it is just from the living room to the kitchen and back again.

21 comments:

Sayre said...

That sounds like some handy stuff to have on hand, the spray shampoo. I'm sure the grey would have come out if you'd actually combed it out. Bradley's a good sport.

We had this issue with my mom (who had waist length hair at the time before they shaved half her head). I wound up washing her hair with a washcloth and a little soap, then "rinsing it out" with a rinsed out washcloth. Not terribly satisfactory though.

VV said...

He's a keeper, yep, that's for sure.

Anonymous said...

Oh Michelle, this entry reminds me so much of Paul and I and our many laughs during our journey over the past couple of years. I always say that battles like this will either make or break a relationship...and the ones that make it are so much stronger and better after the challenge. I can just tell that you and Brad are going to find little silver linings and lots of laughter in the years ahead together. He is totally a keeper! And he was definitely brought into your life for a special reason :) Let's chat this week once you are able to comfortably raise the phone to your ear ;) and only a few more days til those tubes are out - woohoo! They are so weird to look at, aren't they? I couldn't stop running my fingers over them and then getting the heeby-jeebies that I actually had a tube in my chest - yechh! It doesn't realy hurt when they get pulled out either, it's just a really strange sensation. Just be sure to exhale!!! Hugs to you xo Dana

Knock knock - it's cancer! said...

Sayre - not satisfactory, nope. But we did end up having a great time over it. Brad is definitely a good sport!

VV - you betcha he is! No doubt about it :) ps - omg to the renos of your house. Brad and I just finished reading all the kitchen renos posts.... It looks a hundred times better now, that dusty pink... Oh shudder.

Dana - I cannot wait to talk to you sometime soon. I feel so close to you, like I'm walking the same road you did. I often think about your story and it gives me courage to continue staying positive. I can't believe how many ladies I've talked to whose marriages dissolved during their cancer battle. It really is something that can bring out people's worst traits out. I think Brad and I are very solid and I can't imagine going through this with anyone else.
Hugs right back to you!

Lauren said...

You look great! I am a bit puzzled by the grey hair but it was entertaining.

Best wishes,
Lauren (www.breastcancerregistry.org)

tweetey30 said...

Wow.. Now I know what to stay away from if anything goes wrong with me.. Thanks for the suggestion to stay away from it.. But glad you are healing and Friday will be here sooner than you want it to be and then those horrible tubes will be taken out. Hugs and thanks for the supportive words on my blog.. I have some awsome friends and I have missed you terribly..

Unknown said...

You look fabulous for a woman who has just undergone a double mastectomy. Your positive outlook lifts my spirit.

xx

Anonymous said...

Uuggg...I posted but it didn't post. It was a bunch of nice stuff about you and Brad and how great it is that you have a guy who sticks by you through good and bad. And nice stuff about how you deserve it, blah blah blah. But the post was not posted. Now I'm not in the mood to say that nice stuff all over again.

Knock knock - it's cancer! said...

Lauren - thanks. Don't be puzzled, it was just the dry shampoo :) All is well.

Tweets - yup, stay away from that stuff, your pretty blonde hair would look too yucky.

M.Mom - thank you. There is only one way to go from here and that is UP, right.

Anonymous - who are you? And you are funny :)

Kathy said...

What a great post Michelle! I really enjoyed reading about your and Bradley's adventures today and love that you are finding humor in the midst of this bittersweet time in your life. Thank you for sharing pictures in your posts too. They are fun to see and add so much to your stories.

Though we only met recently (through the blogosphere), I can see what a beautiful woman you are, inside and out. Hang in there. I am holding you close in my thoughts and prayers as you recover from your surgery and face what ever comes next on your journey.

P.S. I deleted the first post because I found a typo and wanted to fix it and re-post. I am a little OCD like that... ;)

Anonymous said...

I am anonymous.
(Eileen)

Anonymous said...

Laughed hard along with you while reading this and so grateful for you two to have found one another and share this joy ride of life.

Knock knock - it's cancer! said...

Kathy - so nice to 'see' you again :) these small funny moments are important to hang on to... There are enough sad ones during this time.

Eileen - lol. Thank you for returning and putting a name on it... I was wondering who it was :)

Anonymous - please sign your name after you comment otherwise I won't know who you are - and I'm soo curious, lol.

Anonymous said...

Hiya! I found you via your comment on Tweety's latest post.

I've just read your entire blog with my heart in my throat. What a horrible, horrible experience. I cannot begin to imagine how frightening it must have been for you and your loved ones. I just want to say good on you for kicking cancer to the curb (yeah!) and wish you a speedy recovery and all the good health in the world. xx

Red

tweetey30 said...

Red your not posting but still reading my blog?? WOW..Thanks my friend.. Have you considered coming back to blogland Red??!!! Miss you too.

Melissa said...

Hi Michelle! Just stopping in to see how you are doing! I hope you are doing as well as you look! I'm glad there's a smile on your face. Attitude is everything on this journey. :)

Take good care and talk with you soon!
Melissa B.

Knock knock - it's cancer! said...

Red - thank you for the good wishes, I appreciate that!

Melissa - I'm glad you stopped by, I have been thinking of you... tomorrow my drains come out and I get my pathology results. Here's to positive attitudes!

Anonymous said...

I just left a very creative and funny post but it deleted it and I am not going through that again. The jist is...

great clips charges $3 for a hair wash and please dont say Bradley. He is Brad, looks like a Brad, acts like a Brad. Bradly is almost as bad as dude.

If this does not post I will not do it again. haha. I will copy and paste this one though.

Anonymous said...

Ohhh, you have to preview first before it will post. That is where I went wrong the last two times. I think you may have to dumb down things for me in the future. I feel like my mother.

Knock knock - it's cancer! said...

Christine - you are too funny! But you gotta sign it with your name so I know it's you! Lol

Ps - your mother reads the blog, be careful ;)

Laura said...

Hey my dear, been reading through the archives this evening. I'm so proud of you for your positive attitude about everything.

I have the trick for you for dry shampoo! You spray it in, and then you have to blow dry it while brushing before it sets. The grey turns invisible and your hair looks clean again. Although, it doesn't FEEL clean, which I hate. It feels heavy and full of gunky product, but it looks alright!