Where acceptance is all there is!
Bizarre Alopecia Moments???
Here's one of mine...From one of my blogs
WHEN NO ONE WAS WATCHING
I recently had someone film me for a television segment to capture what a typical day is like for me. The idea of course was to promote alopecia awareness and to capture people's reactions when they see me on the with my head not covered. I take public transportation into work being I live a a busy metropolitan area. After filming had wrapped at the house they decided to get footage of me going to the bus stop. It turns out I was running late to catch my bus so I had to do a mad dash out my door and run down the street to make it in time. As I was running to the corner, the camera man was running along side of me. It was a sight! People had to wonder why a bald woman was running with the camera man chasing me down a busy street on a Monday morning! Guess it must have looked like I was on a segment of "Cops" or something. Anyway, I made it to my bus and the people were wondering what was going on, then they realized I was being filmed. As I took my seat on the bus the camera man stood outside my window seat and took more footage. Then it was time for the bus to depart. I waved goodbye to the camera man and made plans to meet up with him and the tv producer later.
I was left on the bus with a few very inquisitive people who asked some intelligent questions and I was all to happy to answer their inquiries about what all the fuss was about. But wouldn't you know it...
...and WHEN NO ONE WAS WATCHING... and... when the camera was turned off, a woman yelled out from across the isle, " Do you have cancer or something?" I smiled at her and said, "No" and gave her my educational song and dance about alopecia. After carefully listening to my plight, she yelled across the isle again, " See what you need is some kind of oil to rub on your head. I forgot the name of it but they sell it in the health food store. I also saw this on one of those long commercials on TV. See your problem is that you have parasites in your head. That's probably why you are bald. Rub a little of that oil and mark my words, your hair will start to grow back. You can even rub a little of that oil on your stomach and it will clean your system out!". She then went onto say, "I know a woman who lost all but one row of growth in the back of her head. She was devastated. It was a shame! She was crying and everything! If it were me?....I don't know what I would have done!" Everyone on the bus watched in amazement and you could hear a pin drop on that bus! You could tell people felt so bad for me regarding this woman's insensitive remarks. As for me?...I didn't flinch. Quite frankly, I didn't even look in her direction. Those types of situations used to bother me but not anymore. I'm used to it!...
OK,so after the bus ride to a very busy terminal, I had to catch a train into town. I saw a homeless woman with a large plaid bag stuffed with all her worldy possessions begging people for change. My heart was heavy for her and wouldn't fate have it, that she picked me right out of the crowed of people walked straight up to me, looked me in the eyes and said, "Miss? Do you have some changes you could spare? " Just as we locked eyes she looked at my head and had the nerve to laugh at me??? (LOL! Hee, Hee). She was probably thinking, "Damn!, I finally ran into somebody that doesn't have something that I have!...heavy sigh...Where's a good camera crew when you need 'em!"
"
WHEN NO ONE WAS WATCHING
I recently had someone film me for a television segment to capture what a typical day is like for me. The idea of course was to promote alopecia awareness and to capture people's reactions when they see me on the with my head not covered. I take public transportation into work being I live a a busy metropolitan area. After filming had wrapped at the house they decided to get footage of me going to the bus stop. It turns out I was running late to catch my bus so I had to do a mad dash out my door and run down the street to make it in time. As I was running to the corner, the camera man was running along side of me. It was a sight! People had to wonder why a bald woman was running with the camera man chasing me down a busy street on a Monday morning! Guess it must have looked like I was on a segment of "Cops" or something. Anyway, I made it to my bus and the people were wondering what was going on, then they realized I was being filmed. As I took my seat on the bus the camera man stood outside my window seat and took more footage. Then it was time for the bus to depart. I waved goodbye to the camera man and made plans to meet up with him and the tv producer later.
I was left on the bus with a few very inquisitive people who asked some intelligent questions and I was all to happy to answer their inquiries about what all the fuss was about. But wouldn't you know it...
...and WHEN NO ONE WAS WATCHING... and... when the camera was turned off, a woman yelled out from across the isle, " Do you have cancer or something?" I smiled at her and said, "No" and gave her my educational song and dance about alopecia. After carefully listening to my plight, she yelled across the isle again, " See what you need is some kind of oil to rub on your head. I forgot the name of it but they sell it in the health food store. I also saw this on one of those long commercials on TV. See your problem is that you have parasites in your head. That's probably why you are bald. Rub a little of that oil and mark my words, your hair will start to grow back. You can even rub a little of that oil on your stomach and it will clean your system out!". She then went onto say, "I know a woman who lost all but one row of growth in the back of her head. She was devastated. It was a shame! She was crying and everything! If it were me?....I don't know what I would have done!" Everyone on the bus watched in amazement and you could hear a pin drop on that bus! You could tell people felt so bad for me regarding this woman's insensitive remarks. As for me?...I didn't flinch. Quite frankly, I didn't even look in her direction. Those types of situations used to bother me but not anymore. I'm used to it!...
OK,so after the bus ride to a very busy terminal, I had to catch a train into town. I saw a homeless woman with a large plaid bag stuffed with all her worldy possessions begging people for change. My heart was heavy for her and wouldn't fate have it, that she picked me right out of the crowed of people walked straight up to me, looked me in the eyes and said, "Miss? Do you have some changes you could spare? " Just as we locked eyes she looked at my head and had the nerve to laugh at me??? (LOL! Hee, Hee). She was probably thinking, "Damn!, I finally ran into somebody that doesn't have something that I have!...heavy sigh...Where's a good camera crew when you need 'em!"
"
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jack McCluer (JAX) on -
I didnt bother with filing against him. I just recieved a verbal warning from a boss that just about wet himself because he was laughing so hard. I figured his ignorance was punishment enough. He did apologize to me later and asked me explain things. It is no big thing. My group had the best laugh that day.
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Permalink Reply by Carmella on -
So as I was leaving a small town after visiting family, with an exboyfriend of mine, and we were getting some gas. He went into the minimart for a drink and after a few minutes it dawned on me that the price difference on cigarettes here (vs. the city we lived in) was worth grabbing a couple extra packs, so I headed into the store. I went to the counter and asked for two packs of camel lights - handing over my ID. The man behind the counter looked over my photo (with long blond hair) and glanced back and forth at me. He asked "Where did your hair go?" many times as I tried to explain alopecia (he was middle eastern and older) I was wearing a headwrap and eventually I pulled it off in an attempt for him to finally believe my reply of "it fell out." Then he says "Yes, but where did it go?" At this point my boyfriend at the time, turns back from the cooler rather irritated and says "Where the fuck did your hair go?" The wife of this man begins laughing hysterically and we ended up being thrown out of their store, without the drink or smokes, but a full tank of free gas.
Nice
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Permalink Reply by catfancy on -
LOL, where did it go? I threw mine out. That's hilarious, though! I've been carded while bald before (I wore a hairpiece for my driver's license photo) but no one has dared say anything! Half the time I preface my purchase with "I don't have any hair now, but I did when this photo was taken." I usually wear wigs, though.
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Permalink Reply by Carmella on
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Occasionally someone will as me the cancer question, but that one took the cake, I still crack up remembering it.
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Permalink Reply by Rachel on -
Man, it was stressful when I got pulled over on a state highway as part of a DUI checkpoint - and I had on different hair and had just come from doing a show (I am a theater actor) so my make-up had me looking quite different than my photo! They finally believed me after much explaining and hard stares from the cops EEP!
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Permalink Reply by claire taylor on -
Another bizarre alopecia moment for me was 4 weeks ago MY WEDDING DAY OF ALL DAYS!!!!
After me and my new husband had been having some lovely pics took in a local park we made our way back to the hotel where all our guests were waiting for us,
As our lovely wedding car pulled up i had been messing about with my veil making sure it was secure on my wig, as i was getting out of the car the photographer asked if he could take some shots of us in the car then of me getting out, as i was gettin out of the car my new husband put his hand on my rather long veil which as i got out got caught and came off along with my new wedding wig arghhhhhhhh (i was told to be careful wearing a veil) luckily there was only the photographer who was luckily a family member the driver who i will never forget the look of shock on his face and my husbands best man who was smoking outside the hotel, i jumped back in the car plonked my hair on and composed myself all i heard was daves best man say "burnsey you dick head" and the driver jumped in the car poured me a glass of champers which we had been drinking in car which i downed in one, after a second or two i got out took a deep breath and said "malc" (my photographer) "i hope you didnt take a photo then"
Me and dave went into the hotel where the wedding planner was waiting to announce us to our guests i said before you do have you got a brush lol,
I was fine but dave was shell shocked for about an hour NO WAY was i letting it spoil my big day, I told all my guests what had happened the more drink i had the funnier the story became.
There is only me something like this could happen to!!
Me and dave 4 weeks on laugh about it even on the day itself we laughed remembering the drivers face and his best mans "burnsey you dick head"quote ha ha
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Permalink Reply by sgomez on -
I am laughing so hard right now!
I was about 12 years old, and like all 12 year old girls, I had a crush on a boy. Jason was a mature 14 years old. We were at the pool, and I was sitting on the steps trying to act cool. Then Jason said Hey Sarah, come on, jump in! I kept nodding my head no, but he kept asking. So I finally gave in, and decided to jump in feet first in the shallow end of the pool. I didn't want to submurge my head (for obvious reasons). So I gathered some hair from the sides of my wig into my mouth, and gracefully went for it. Needless to say, it was not graceful. I ended up losing my footing and getting totally dunked into the water. But that's not the worst part!!!! My wig came off under water, and I couldn't get it back on. It was either drown trying, or come up to put it back on right. I could feel everyone just staring at me and waiting for me to come back up. I was so mortified. I must have looked a sight coming out of that pool w/ a wet sloppy wig sitting on my head! It wasn't even covering all of my head. It was just haphazordly plopped on my head. I got up and ran home. That was the last time I ever went swimming in a public pool w/ a boy I had a crush on!
The sweetwst thing was that Jason didn't even seem to care. He was still very friendly to me, and never mentioned what happened. (sigh)
Another incident happened when I was in Mexico visiting my husband's family. They had a big party for his dad's B-day, and EVERYONE was there! I couldn't beleive how many poeple were there! It must have been the whole little pueblo, plus the one next to it ! lol!
I was ejoying a nice conversation w/ my sisters-in-law when one of their 'cousins' (when your mexican anyone remotely related to you is your cousin) decides to join in the conversation. She then proceeds to interupt the conversation and starts pulling at my wig, and says " Your hair looks fake! Is it a wig?" I was so shocked and embaressed. I was having such a good time until then. My sisters-in-law seemed just as shocked. I didn't even respond. I ran away to the bedroom, layed down on the bed and started crying. I was so upset that she was so blatenly rude and inconsiderate. I don't know why I ran away like that. I guess it was a fight or flight moment. I just didn't want to have any kind of confrontation w/ her. My huhsband came in after he noticed I was missing from the party. His sisters had also told him what had happened. He came in to the room and sat down beside me. He asked my if I wanted to come back out to the party. I said no. I think he thought I was acting kind of babyish. Neverthless, he was very understanding and didn't push it. I felt bad about the way I reacted, and that I had ruined such a great day for my husband because of it. Now he was worrying about his crying wife when he should have been enjoying himself. After a while the party started winding down. I was calm enough to come back out. My sister-in-law came up to me and said."Don't worry about what she said, she's a snob and is always rude to poeple." I felt a little better, and once again joined the party.
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Permalink Reply by Steve on -
Boot Camp - Again. Maybe because today is Coast Guard Day? Anyway, in a quick review: In 1975 CG boot camp was ten weeks long. In the first week they call it "Forming". That's when they scream at you alot and make you think you've made the worst mistake in your life by joining the service. The first day I was there the Forming rep goes belly-to-belly and nose-to-nose with me and screams (I don't think he had a conversational tone) "You think you're pretty hot s___T, don't you!!" For the life of me, I had absolutely no idea where he was going with that question. I stuttered, "Sir no sir!" He tried to push me back, but I was bigger than he was (not realy nose-to-nose more like nose-to-chest, and I'm of average height!) "WHAT KIND OF HAIRCUT DO YOU CALL THAT!" My brain finally kicked in. "SIR! ALOPECIA, SIR!" "ALA-WHAT??!!", he screamed. "Alopecia, sir. It doesn't grow." He backed down and said, "Oh just you wait until you meet Max the Butcher!"
I think I had officially been in the Coast Guard about three hours when I had that conversation. About two hours after that brilliant exchange we were marched off to get our official military style crew cuts. My name starts with "T" so I was far back in line. When I finally reached the door step I was greeted with piles of hair everywhere, two barbers shaving heads, about a dozen pony-tails hanging from the mirrors. The older barber notices my bald head and screams at me to get out of his sight, who the hell did I think I was, etc etc. So I turned around and went to the squad bay for further abuse. The Company Commander wanted to know what Max had said, so I told him. He wasn't convinced of my hairlessness, yet, and made sure I knew I wasn't allowed to shave my head.
Two weeks go by and it's time to visit Max again. I'm part of the company so I have to go and stand in line again. By now I'd met every other company commander in the command and no one knew my real name because they all called me Kojak! Anyway, Max spies me at the door again and all quiet he points at me and crooks his finger at me to come over. I am instantly filled with dread. I've experienced the "attentions" of every other drill instructor type and I had no idea what this Max character could do. I walked up to him and stood at attention. He told me to relax, leaned over to me and asked, "Do you have alopecia?" I must have looked surprised. I said, "Yes, since I was three." His whole demeanor changed. "Oh, man, I'm sooo sorry about the other day! I didn't know! I get so many long-hairs in here...My sister has alopecia, too! Had it for years. She wears a wig. I'm sorry if I upset you the other day." We chatted for a while and it was quite pleasant. Every two weeks we would have a talk instead of a haircut and I found out that Max the Butcher was more of a pussy cat!
Just shows to go, ya. You never know! ;)
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