Hair -- growth and loss at the same time

Last Monday, I have my regular check-up with my oncologist and he said that I'm "doing great". He's not the most ebullient guy on the planet so I was pleased by his comment. He couldn't say whether my neuropathy would ever go away, but decided to give me a drug at my next chemo (on 3/28) to help curb the severity.

Hair growth and loss
The side effects of the chemo continue to surprise me. The hair on my head is starting to come back slowly, slowly, slowly. My hair looks like a combination of peach fuzz and newly planted grass -- soft but sparse. I've definitely got more white hair than before --ugh!! Known as "chemo hair", the first growth isn't indicative of what it will look like in the long run. The chemo hair may even get curly, although its much too short to know at this point.

While the hair on my head is growing, I'm rapidly losing my eyelashes and eyebrows. I can actually count the number of eyelashes and I'm sure after the next chemo, I won't have any eyelashes left. I used to have to pluck my eyebrows, but that exercise is no longer necessary. Instead, I fill them in with an eyebrow pencil.

When I asked the nurse why I'm growing hair on my head, but losing it around my eyes, she just shrugged. Just another inconsistency in the side effects.

Movie Reviews
"Music and Lyrics" -- This romantic comedy with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, isn't one of the best, but it's entertaining. As an aging 80's pop star, he seems a bit old for her, but the pseudo 80's video that is shown is hilarious. He also has a weird signature dance where he swivel his hips and jerks his hands as if driving a motorcycle. Very funny.

"Amazing Grace" -- Based on the life of William Wilberforce who fought for 20 years to get anti-slavery laws passed in the House of Parliament in the late 18th century. Because many of his colleagues were landowners in the new America, he fought for 20 years on his anti-slavery platform. The movie gets its title from Wilberforce's relationship with John Newton, a former slave ship owner who wrote the song "Amazing Grace". Newton is old and blind and lives a poverty-strickened monastic life as his personal penance for the thousands of people he enslaved. The lyrics of "Amazing Grace" refers to Newton's life -- "I once was lost but now I'm found. Was blind but now I see." While not a perfect film (a bit too long), it's worth seeing.

"Starter for 10" -- Another quirky British comedy about a working-class guy who gets into Bristol University in the 80's and joins a College Bowl-type of team to gain acceptance with the students. James McAvoy stars in the film. He was so great in "The Last King of Scotland" as Idi Amin's physician and plays a completely different role in this film. He's really cute and enduring in this film and may be on his way to become a big star.

Next chemo
My next -- and 2nd to last -- chemo treatment will be on Wednesday, 3/28. At this point, I'm want to get the whole thing done. As I keep saying, the light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter and brighter with each day. Soon it will be a white hot light and time to celebrate!!