The bald spots are growing!!!

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Me and Veronica, on her wedding day, when the only thing I could think about was my hair.

Saturday March 23 was Veronica’s wedding day. She is my friend and housekeeper and I was chosen by her to be an official witness at the ceremony.

The day started with me baking some pecan tartlets for the wedding reception and then I had to wash my hair. Anyone that has read previous entries of this blog and anyone that has heard me complain about my hair problem know that washing my hair has become a nightmare. I don’t like it, it terrifies me, it gets my anxious… I do not enjoy it at all.

So I jumped in the shower and washed my hair. I felt so much of it fell from my head and when I came out of the shower I could see the bald spot on the top of my head looking at me from the mirror. It looked huge!

I got closer to the mirror and turned the lights on and yes, the spot was definitely bigger. I know that my dermatologist told me to avoid the mirror, not to look and the spots and stop paying attention to the hair that falls in the shower. But I can’t, I need to see and I rather see now than find a surprise in the future if the spot keeps growing.

Still, when we left to the wedding my bald spots were the only thing on my mind. I told my husband, Jeff, that I thought the spots were growing. He told me that I needed to calm down, “thanks for your support,” I said ironically, even when I knew that he is right, and that what I need is to calm down and keep doing what I am doing. I know I have to be patient, it is just so hard.

Later that day, after the wedding, we went to play tennis with some friends. Before arriving to the court I was still feeling down, depressed and worried, but the exercise worked its magic and after two hours of tennis I was smiling, happy, and enjoying life again

More common than you think

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Me with my full hair… a couple of years ago.

After 10 days since the discovery of the Alopecia Areata, and after being in a truly emotional roller coaster trying to cope with the condition and at the same time keep my anxiety controlled I decided to see a dermatologist.

So far, I have gotten opinions from my brother (the neurologist) and by my friend Carlos (the psychiatrist), but on Tuesday March the 17th I went to the hospital where most of the ex pats go in Havana, it is called Clinica General Cira Garcia. I was there helping a friend who is not fluent in Spanish and needed some translation with her doctor.

After her appointment I asked her physician, Dr. Teresa, if she could recommend a dermatologist for me. “What is your problem,” she asked, “I have Alopecia Areata,” I responded. She stood up from her desk and without even asking permission she started examining my head. “Don’t worry. This is more common than you think,” she said and then she added the same thing I heard so far: it is stress related, stop thinking about it and your hair will eventually grow back.

She gave me the name of Dr. Silvia Garcia. She is my new dermatologist. Two days after I had the first appointment with her.