Self-Care and Stitches

This week, I decided to two things to take care of myself. 

I thought it was easy to neglect self-care when I was commuting to work but it is so much easier to neglect it when I'm home all the time. At least when I was commuting, I would have the drive to and from work to be by myself and listen to my favorite music or my latest audiobook. Now, I don't have very many moments alone and I don't even think about it since I'm home anyway.

But it was time. Work was getting to me on new levels and I just felt stressed no matter what I was doing. So I got in the car and drove the hour and a half to F.H.F. Hair Design to see my favorite stylist, Hal.

While on the drive, I had my music up and I was singing along to the songs I love. No one was there to judge my off tune jamming. It was something I hadn't done in awhile, since I have barely driven at all since they sent us home from work in March. I had forgotten how much I enjoy that.

Going to the hair salon is always a great stress-release, especially when I let them do things like this:

bye bye blue hair

They cut most of my blue hair off and then dyed it dark and red. :)

The finished product was beautiful, as always. I really enjoy having short hair. It feels freeing and it's easier to take care of (but harder to maintain).

I always really enjoy going up there, even if it is a long drive.

The other thing I did for self-care this week wasn't so much about taking time for myself but about taking care of something about myself that kind of bothered me.

My scalp had a couple of cysts on it. It wasn't a health crisis or anything. In fact, if I left them alone, nothing would have happened to me. But one of them was getting a little too big and making me self-conscious. So, I had it and its friend removed.

There are stitches in my scalp now. Believe me when I tell you, I have no idea how to handle them. The only other time I've had stitches in my life I don't remember (I was 2). I asked the doctor when I could wash my hair again, he said, "After 48 hours, you can do whatever you want." Vague but a bit less strict than I had anticipated.

I also did some Googling. The very last thing I want to do is cause an infection or re-open the cut. Head wounds bleed like mad. Everything I read seemed to agree to the 48 hour rule but most weren't so cavalier about what happens after that. I decided to be maybe a bit over careful so Amanda went to Target with me to find mild shampoo. I was so skiddish washing and rinsing my hair that it took forever. Also, no hair products (not that I use them that often anyway).

If you have tips about how to deal with stitches in your hair, please share them

Removing the cysts wore me out for about two days, though. I'm only just now feeling better but I'm still exhausted. I think it's because I'm not sleeping well due to being so anxious about sleeping on my stitches. It's not comfortable. But I'm getting old. I believe I would have bounced back quickly if I had been in my twenties.

Stitches out in 2 weeks. I'm counting the days.

For the record, I do feel a bit better having done these two things. I know work stress is going to escalate with everything going on but I think I'll handle it better having taken this time out.