Mammy's Day of Beauty

Sunday, December 16 - My Mom was loosing her hair by the hand fulls now.  She seemed very depressed when I called early in the morning.  My youngest daughter and I were determined to intervene.  Mom had never worn make-up.  Too long to put on, she wasn't pretty enough to wear make-up, make-up felt heavy on her face....she had every excuse.  Brandy and I were determined that this would be the day that we would shave Mammy's head and teach her how to wear make-up.  My daughter took fifty dollars that she had been saving for Christmas and we headed to the local Wal-mart.  We were on a mission.

We debated all kinds of brands, colors, and kinds of make-up.  Brandy and I had never had so much fun shopping in the cosmetic department.  I didn't realize how much it costs to purchase all new makeup.  Brandy spent $43.00 and said, "she better wear this stuff, or I'm gonna be mad".

We headed down to my Mom's house for her "day of beauty."  I worried how my youngest daughter was being affected by my mom's diagnosis.  Brandy spent many nights during weekends and holidays down at my Mom's house for sleep-overs prior to Mom's diagnosis, but since she seemed reluctant to stay overnight. She was worried what her grandmother would look like with no hair.  I hoped that this would help both of them deal with their fears.

The three of us found ourselves sitting around the kitchen table with a folding make-up mirror applying make-up.  Brandy (thirteen) insisted that she would give Mammy make-up lessons.  She introduced every type of make-up with  a fancy handwave and gave step-by-step instructions on the application process.  Often taking the make-up from my Mom and applying it to her own face.  It was a riot and I knew this moment too was priceless.

Finally, we pulled out the three different wigs that my mom had received as donations from the American Cancer Association.  Brandy helped her Grandmother with each wig.  She critiqued the pros and cons of each one and named each wig in the process.  She was determined to "decorate" the Styrofoam head forms.  The next thing I knew, Brandy was trying on the wigs herself.  The two of them were adorable.  We decided that "Angeline" was the best wig.  I photographed every step of the way, and sent picture messages to my older daughter who was out of town.  She called my Mom's house phone and made my mom's day when she told her how great she looked with her new make-up and wig.  My mom insisted that she wasn't ready to shave the remaining hair she had.  I think she still somehow believed that it would not completely fall out.

Brandy and I left my Mom's house later that evening both feeling happy and hopeful.  What a great day and a beautiful memory.