“Haircut,” Owen said as soon as he walked into my room. He was on a mission. He woke up a little after six and the first words out of his mouth were “haircut.” We have been talking about it since I made the appointment with the cancer center boutique. He was ready as he ever could be for my buzz cut.
What a journey it has been to get him to accept hair change. It has been years in the making to get this far. He was very calm this morning and ready for his day. I woke extremely early and couldn’t go back to sleep but I felt much better and stronger. He was playing on his tablet but occasionally he would yell to me to talk about my haircut. I kept wondering if I had prepared him enough for what the afternoon would bring but all I could do was remind him that when he got home I would have my buzz cut. I had asked him if he wanted to go with me but it was all too much for him and I understood.
We got ready for the bus and went to wait outside. He was talking to me about my haircut and then he switched to making sure he would be riding the bus home. He followed that up by talking about the days ahead and which days he would be riding the bus and when he would go to therapy. He is back to the same conversations about his therapy days and bus schedule as he was last year. I’m going to see if his teacher has a suggestion or if there is a way that I can associate it with his schedule at school.
Owen took a minute to get off the bus. The aide said he was checking it out when he first saw me. When he got off the bus he said, “buzz cut.” He then asked me for one. I said do you want to go get one and he said, “Yes.” I asked him if he wanted it today and he told me not today. I knew he would need to process that too.
We walked inside and he still was taking it all in. He told me “It’ll grow back yellow hair.” He then said, “Blue hair please.” I told him I had bunny ears. I put my pink bunny ears beanie on and showed him the other colors I had. He asked me for blue, purple, yellow, and orange, all colors I don’t have. He asked me to touch my head and he said, “Soft.” He wanted me to wear the bunny ears.
I fixed his snack and he started eating it. He kept coming to check out my head and asked me to grow it out by Thursday. I told him it would take more time than that. I know he was trying to process it all. He told me to remember to grow it. He then started saying my head was “like a baby.” He continued watching the haircut video again and singing the song throughout the night.
There were only a few moments when he got a little elevated about it but otherwise, he handled it amazingly. I know it is a lot for him to process and in the days ahead I’m sure there will be moments we have to work through but to see how well he handled it my heart is full. Today was a victory and one more day toward healing in this journey.
He fell asleep quickly. I think middle school is wearing my sweet baby O out. Today was a much better day for me. I felt stronger again and I was able to eat more foods. I’m thankful for my amazing son and all that he has taught me. Focus on the good stuff. Your victories are coming and know that today is your day. Smiles to all and donut daze!
What a journey it has been to get him to accept hair change. It has been years in the making to get this far. He was very calm this morning and ready for his day. I woke extremely early and couldn’t go back to sleep but I felt much better and stronger. He was playing on his tablet but occasionally he would yell to me to talk about my haircut. I kept wondering if I had prepared him enough for what the afternoon would bring but all I could do was remind him that when he got home I would have my buzz cut. I had asked him if he wanted to go with me but it was all too much for him and I understood.
We got ready for the bus and went to wait outside. He was talking to me about my haircut and then he switched to making sure he would be riding the bus home. He followed that up by talking about the days ahead and which days he would be riding the bus and when he would go to therapy. He is back to the same conversations about his therapy days and bus schedule as he was last year. I’m going to see if his teacher has a suggestion or if there is a way that I can associate it with his schedule at school.
Owen took a minute to get off the bus. The aide said he was checking it out when he first saw me. When he got off the bus he said, “buzz cut.” He then asked me for one. I said do you want to go get one and he said, “Yes.” I asked him if he wanted it today and he told me not today. I knew he would need to process that too.
We walked inside and he still was taking it all in. He told me “It’ll grow back yellow hair.” He then said, “Blue hair please.” I told him I had bunny ears. I put my pink bunny ears beanie on and showed him the other colors I had. He asked me for blue, purple, yellow, and orange, all colors I don’t have. He asked me to touch my head and he said, “Soft.” He wanted me to wear the bunny ears.
I fixed his snack and he started eating it. He kept coming to check out my head and asked me to grow it out by Thursday. I told him it would take more time than that. I know he was trying to process it all. He told me to remember to grow it. He then started saying my head was “like a baby.” He continued watching the haircut video again and singing the song throughout the night.
There were only a few moments when he got a little elevated about it but otherwise, he handled it amazingly. I know it is a lot for him to process and in the days ahead I’m sure there will be moments we have to work through but to see how well he handled it my heart is full. Today was a victory and one more day toward healing in this journey.
He fell asleep quickly. I think middle school is wearing my sweet baby O out. Today was a much better day for me. I felt stronger again and I was able to eat more foods. I’m thankful for my amazing son and all that he has taught me. Focus on the good stuff. Your victories are coming and know that today is your day. Smiles to all and donut daze!
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