I had a kind of sad visit with Dad yesterday.. as I was getting ready to leave, he scratched his nose and came away with a bunch of ginger hair on his fingers. At first I was a little freaked out, thinking it had been IN his mouth, or nose, but after a second I realized what was happening... his mustache has started to fall out from the chemo!
Once I figured out what was happening I felt a bit better, but sad, too. Dad has had that mustache since he was 16.. it's just always been a part of him. Of course, he couldn't leave it alone after that, and kept scratching and plucking until it was pretty much gone before I left. It's ridiculous, but now I think he actually looks sick. He looks younger, and even more vulnerable, even though his bruises have healed and his IV catheters are all out except the chemo port. He just kept repeating, "This is embarrassing! I've had a mustache since I was 16 years old, I've never not had a mustache.." And I kept repeating, "It's okay, Dad, it'll grow back soon enough." I told him he looked handsome, and then I had to leave to get to a vaccine clinic (which I ran late for... stupid streets that change names!). I called my family to warn them of the changes, aside from the mustache, he is now on a Diabetic diet, though he is still allowed solid food. (I think my family overdid it on the junkfood when he was first allowed solid food, so now the nurses are having troubles with his blood sugar again.)
All in all, he's doing well. They're talking about sending him "home" early, or at least letting him out of this hospital and sending him to a physical therapy hospital closer to home. He needs to get his strength back and start concentrating on walking and moving about, then hopefully his short-term memory will improve as we go.
For those that are asking, I'm holding up pretty well, I think. I made it all the way to the car and through all the family phone calls before I started crying for Dad's stupid mustache. I guess I felt stupid for not realizing that would fall out: it sems like it's always been a part of his face, not really hair, just kind of a nose fixture, you know? And it really seemed to bother him that he was losing his mustache, and it just seems like that's all he had left of his old self, and now it's gone. I know it will grow back. He knows it will grow back. I wonder if it will fall out again when it does? His beard stubble has been growing in just fine, he's still having to shave regularly.. Hm. Well, here's hoping, anyway.
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luneib
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Nov 2 @ 8:29AM
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Is your Dad in remission, I hope so. Here are some HUGS for you and your Dad. I'm glad to hear he is doing better. 
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missliss78
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Nov 2 @ 12:10PM
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Awwww, I know things like losing the mustache are difficult to deal with.
I am glad to find this update from you, though, and to know he is doing okay & they are thinking about moving him. I am sure if he could go to the rehab hospital it would do him a world of good. I'm glad you are hanging in there, too.
I'll take this opportunity to relate a cute story of my own to you.
My father was diagnosed in February 1984 with inoperable lung cancer. It had already metastasized to his brain. My father was a very proud man with a head full of dark hair. It wasn't a real long time after he started his radiation treatments when one nite he was in the shower and his own hair started coming out in his hands. The next day he went to the barber & had his head shaved.
Not everyone can pull off a shaved head, imo, but my father looked pretty damn good. He reminded me of Telly Sevalis (well, ever how you spell the guy's name). The first morning he had the chance after my mom left for work, he got out the Polaroid camera & asked me to snap some pics of him.  He did one in his glasses & one without. Then I left for work. It was some time later I realized he was trying to decide which "look" he liked the best. Yes, as it ended up, Daddy was as vain as all the rest!
Of course my father's illness was much more advanced & different from your father's illness, and we knew he would only make it a short amount of time. He did go thru all of his radiation treatments & 2 of his 3 scheduled chemo treatments, but he couldn't do anymore. When he passed a mere 7 months later, his hair had started growing back in on his head. I remember clearly now rubbing the stubble.
I didn't mean to hobart your blog, SnowLynx...I just thought that relating my story might give you a smile or two. Here's hoping your dad continues to improve & does fine waiting for his 'stache to grow back in!
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kywonder
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Nov 2 @ 11:04PM
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Prayers for your dad as I am going through similar times with my younger sister. She had a brain tumor taken off and it was cancer. She is just starting her treatments, but we had to shave her hair off in the beginning because they had to shave her head in two different places. Glad your dad is doing better. If he is on steroids, those can cause the sugar to go high, it did my sister's and she was not and has never been a diabetic.
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