Within the 12 months of my first breast most cancers, we wished to have a commemorative picture finished. It absolutely was a time to recollect.
We not often write newsy Christmas letters through the holidays. I’ve a behavior of merely shopping for Christmas playing cards and signing our names on them. I love people who compose lengthy household tales, espousing a profitable 12 months of enjoyable journeys and nice accomplishments reminiscent of graduations, births and new abodes.
The rationale I keep away from these is as a result of I don’t have the time, and I don’t prefer to brag. You’d assume that I, being a author, would soar on the Christmas letter bandwagon, however I by no means do.
I additionally keep away from taking household photos towards faux vacation backdrops reminiscent of hearth mantels or Christmas timber. However in 2012, the 12 months I misplaced my hair resulting from chemotherapy for breast most cancers, I made a decision that we would have liked to offer our household and pals a becoming portrait of us, to indicate them that I used to be nonetheless kicking and alive and everybody else was too. I booked a photograph shoot at an area images studio, purchased a crimson shirt for me and crimson sweaters for my husband and son, and washed my wig with a particular wig shampoo that I’d purchased on the most cancers heart.
Now, about this wig. It was brown, a longish, swingy fashion that was parted within the center. It regarded good on me. My mother-in-law declared that she preferred it higher than my actual hair, the brown, thick curly hair that had fallen out. This praise was double-sided. With it, she was saying that the wig regarded good, however my actual hair –- not so good. However that’s how she rolled.
Quickly, the day got here to go to the images studio. My household, all dressed up in crimson, piled within the automobile and drove downtown. It was my concept to sing Christmas carols on the best way. We crooned “Jingle Bells,” “Away in a Manger,” “Frosty the Snowman” and a number of other others. My son was 7 years previous on the time, so he appreciated any consideration we might give to the vacation season.
My most cancers had overshadowed the vacation, however not that day.
We arrived on the studio and went in. Oh my goodness, the place smelled like scented peppermint pinecones, and it was embellished with tons of of little white lights. I preferred the festive ambiance, because it was about three weeks earlier than Christmas. We’d get the photographs taken, get them again in a few week and mail them to household and pals by Christmas.
We might current a contented, wholesome group of individuals to our private neighborhood. My wig would cover any signal of the results of most cancers. The blush on my pale cheeks would make me look wholesome. The clothes I had chosen would cover the additional weight I’d placed on resulting from inactivity. Sure, we have been an ideal household, weren’t we?
The photographer was a hoot. She was older, round 70, with white hair swirled up in an updo within the again. She wore a turquoise pantsuit and had terrifically crimson fingernails. Round her neck hung a string of old style Christmas tree gentle bulbs, the large, plump sort: crimson, inexperienced, blue and yellow. They didn’t blink, solely glowed.
“You’re right here to your Christmas picture,” the photographer stated.
“Sure. I’ve most cancers, so we would like it to be further particular,” I instructed her.
“Gotcha,” she stated. “I’m sorry to listen to about your sickness.”
“Thanks.”
She directed us to a backdrop – a snowy discipline stuffed with crimson and inexperienced lollipops sticking up out of the white, dusty snow. “How is that this display screen?”
I didn’t prefer it. “Do you’ve a easy Christmas tree?”
“Certain.” She pulled the sector of vacation lollipops up and pulled down a display screen with a tree on it, which I preferred higher.
Then she started posing us. She had me sit on the ground. My God, it was arduous getting all the way down to the bottom. What within the heck did she take note of?
“Now, bend your knees,” she stated casually.
Was she a sadist? Surprisingly sufficient, I didn’t protest her unusual need to make me look ridiculous. I believe it was as a result of I used to be defeated by the most cancers, and I didn’t have any combating will or energy to complain.
“Now, you son, you get behind her. And Dad, you kneel down subsequent to her.”
This needed to be probably the most horrible picture shoot I’d ever been part of.
After which she was off, quickly behind the digital camera, clicking pictures of us, telling us to smile.
I used to be so uncomfortable, however I managed to smile. My son Tommy smiled extensively, and my husband Stephen did the identical.
This was my Christmas most cancers picture. Evidently, we didn’t ship them to everybody we knew. After we received them again, we checked out them and laughed.
And now once I need to bear in mind my time with most cancers, I pull out the picture and harken again to that unusual time.
We did ship one of many photographs out – to my mother-in-law.
Upon receiving it, she picked up the telephone and known as me.
“Good picture,” she stated. “Nice wig. It is best to put on it on a regular basis. It’s nicer than your actual hair.”
“Thanks, Mother,” I stated. “Merry Christmas.”
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