"It Might Be A Lot Scary"

I've been incredibly impressed with Cox in Springfield.  Since I got my cancer diagnosis, they have reached out to me every step of the way.  I even have a "breast navigator" who calls to offer resources and makes sure we are dealing with everything okay.  Her name is Laura, and from the moment I spoke with her she put my spinning mind at ease.  She 'gets it'.  She knows that it is more than hair that will just grow back (yes, I know it will grow back, but that doesn't take away the trauma of losing it).  She understands that I am young and have to go through cancer while raising a 4 year old. She gets that cancer is a family disease, not just the patient's.  She understands that sometimes you laugh your way through the process to keep from crying.  And she's cool with the crying, too.  She's a cancer counselor.  

In fact, last week, she met me at one of my doctor appointments to pass along a book that would help us explain things to Mason.  The book is called Mom and the Polka-Dot Boo Boo by Eileen Sutherland.  It's a cute little book that talks about mom being sick and taking medicine that might give her silly hair.  We've been very honest about telling Mase that mom is going to have silly hair and that some days she might be tired, but that is okay, because she is getting better.  We are trying to prepare him for the idea that even though I look different, I'm still the same mom, hence the short hair cut before all my hair falls out.  Mase thinks my new spiky hair is "silly and awesome."

Yesterday morning, Richard and Mase curled up on the couch and took a few minutes to read the book.  The conversation went a little like this:

Richard: So, Mase, Mom's hair is going to look silly.  Like Unke Jack's hair.  It might even be a little scary.
Mase:  {Sporting a big smile} It might be silly and A LOT scary!
Richard:  {Holding back the laughter} Yeah, it might be a lot scary, but that's okay.

Out of the mouth's of babes.  I love the special bond these two have.  I love that they can have bow and arrow wars one minute and then talk about 'life' stuff the next minute.

Oh, and Mase is wrapped up in a super soft blanket.  Nurse-extradionnare Jessica surprised me with it at my last appointment.  Mason has claimed it as his own, but I plan on re-claiming it very soon.