OK, so the first stile I felt I had to climb over was getting my hair cut in anticipation of the chemotherapy. You have to understand that I've always had long hair, have never wanted short hair and after a bad experience with a hairdresser, who when asked to trim 3in off my then almost hip length hair left me with it just past my shoulders, I have never darkened the door of a professional haircutter again.
So this was a big step for me - minute for most people, but this is my footpath and these are my stiles.
Some one at church suggested a hairdresser who is used to this kind of work, as he works with hospital inpatients, and someone else very kindly handled the booking and came with me. I was very relieved when he dismissed the 'shorter the better' advice from the literature and said that a 'classic bob' would be a good option.
So, here's the new style - it's a poor photo taken with my webcam, and I opted not to smile as that looked daft, but it gives an idea of what I look like, at least for a few weeks until the really radical becomes inevitable. Comments are permitted but there are rules:
You are allowed to say it looks good, because it does, it's an excellent cut and still basically feels like 'me'; I am content with it
You are not allowed to say I look better or younger - even if you think I do, because I don't want to know - I was happy with how I looked before.
You are not allowed to say I should have done it years ago - reason as above.
For anyone who wonders, I have the pig-tail carefully wrapped and safely stowed in a drawer: at some point I may be ready to part with it but not yet!
Whilst this isn't what I'd have wanted, it does mean that I now have an idea of a style I would be happy with once all this is behind me - and that has to be a good thing.
This is advance posted - I am visiting family this weekend for the last time before treatment starts but I'll be back, hopefully with a better quality up-to-date photo to go in the top right corner, next week.