THURSDAY - The Shampoo

I went in for my first shampoo / washing after checking out of the hotel and before driving back home to Seattle. The girl washing my hair said that it was looking really good and I jokingly said, "I bet you say that to all the boys". She assured me that she did not and that made me feel good about the process -- whether she meant it or not.

I also saw Dr. Hasson again and the first thing out of his mouth was, "Oh that looks good! That density is great!" ... so again, two for two and feeling pretty good (even in the event they're blowing smoke up my ass -- which I doubt, but I'm an eternal skeptic)

I drove home and so I didn't have to wear the cap -- SEE stupid customs agent! THIS is why jerk.

SATURDAY

For the most part there is no real "pain" per sey -- nor has their ever been. It does tend to itch like a MoFo around the staple areas though and it's getting annoying. Luckily just by "petting" my hair, it acts as "scratching" that itch. There is a every so slight "ache" around some staples too -- again nothing horrible, just more annoying and "uncomfortable". The Tylenol 3 seems to help quash that for the most part. The back of my head feels numb still. This is normal I'm told. It sorta feels like I have a plate there from a war or something. I can tap it with my finger and feel it on my fingertip, and feel the pressure of the tap, but nothing else. Very strange feeling.

The top part is also tingly sometimes and feels as if there is a fly that landed on it. I sometimes find myself instinctively "swatting" up there (not touching my head, just "swooshing" the invisible fly away as it were) as it's very much that same sensation. LOL.

Sleeping still sucks, but at least I'm nearing the end of the upright-sleep-days.

I've washed my hair twice now (yesterday and today) and that is still a bit scary as I'm so afraid of harming my little guys. I had a scare today when I think one commited suicide! I don't know for sure. The post-op paper says that it's normal for hairs to start falling out after a few days (ie. now), but this guy seemed like it had some fatty tissue and was red and black. I don't know, I'm not going to worry too much about one graft (even if it was $3-$5 down the drain literally). It could have just been a hair and scab too as per the paper.

The Frankenstein-esque staples still FREAK ME OUT the more I see them, but I'm staying positive and trying to keep telling myself that they look worse than they will be when they heal up. It's hard though as my eyes are telling my brain not to believe what they see basically.

SUNDAY

There was a weird bulge on the inside by my nose of my right eye. It didn't hurt or anything, it just looked like a little sack filled with fluid and was squishy. It was more annoying than anything because it was right where my glasses' nose bridge pad sits, and it was large enough also that I could feel it when I blinked and see it! Luckily it went away almost as fast as it appeared and was gone by Monday.

I also noticed that my forehead was always "oily" looking. It was like this golden shimmer. This was happening for a couple of days. I am guessing both of these are just saline draining out maybe?

MONDAY

Tonight is the first night that my head was actually kind of achy and sore. I don't know if it's b/c the numbess is starting to wear off enough to notice, or if it is coincidence with the fact that I wore the baseball cap tonight for the first time since the operation and maybe that irritated my head. It was on the side staples behind my ears basically.

TUESDAY

I'm noticing the red color is ever so slightly subsiding. Don't get me wrong. I'm still a hot-mess and from the color I don't expect it to be gone by week's end as I was hoping. The very front is starting to crack -- that is also to be expected and the post-op paper mentions this specifically. The hairs feel pretty sturdy now, like little whiskers, it's hard for me to imagine them just "shedding" actually. I also started to wash my hair with my finger tips today.

Overally there really has been no pain to speak of. The top has never hurt at all yet surprising considering the 3,262 little punctures not including injections. The staples on the other hand continue to be irritating and I can not wait to have them out. Sleep has been an effort in and of itself. There is really no comfortable position. Even laying on my stomach, it's hard to position my head on the pillow in a way as to not press the side staples and also not lay on the grafts. Oh well it is what it is, and it'll be over with in a week or so.

Wednesday & Thursday

Read in my Tips & Tricks blog entry about removing the crusties. It's a disgusting job, but well worth it as my head looked good enough to show to friends on Friday...

Friday

I had some friends over for a "house party" and I combed my hair forward. Surprisingly most people didn't even notice until I told them! To me it is very obvious, since my regular hair did not cover up the transplanted area. In any event, nobody seemed to care (in that they weren't staring or making jokes or anything), and even more surreal was that some girls were even more flirty -- maybe they see the potential...

Saturday -- May the 4th be with you...

I had to go to a night club for various reasons. I wore a hat (not the baseball cap I was issued) that would work with my outfit. For the most part things were fine except the back of my head was a little sore after several hours where the hat intersects the staples (sort of behind your ears -- that area). I guess that's to be expected with all the rubbing there, and of course I have never worn a hat in my life until this. I have only worn the baseball cap H&W issued me like twice and only for a matter of minutes like a quick grocery trip or something. But again, I am getting bolder and actually owning this operation more. Given the positive responses I keep getting, I am telling/showing more and more people. I figure there is nothing to be ashamed of really, and if it helps some of my other friends who are losing their hair, then why not. Plus there is something baller about people knowing you just spent $12,000 on cosmetic surgery (when they ask how much was it). I didn't really see that coming. *smile* So far not one person has been repulsed or weirded out by it, even showing them the staples -- girls or guys -- if anything I get congradulated.

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