new thread
Hi all,
Here is what my crazy hair looks like at the moment. I have trimmed it a few times so the length is shorter than a few months ago. Also, I think my hair was taking its time growing due to my health issues. On ward and downward!
Ted
Here is the front.
Hi Teddy - so good to see you again - lQQkin' good there - I do understand the need to trim - it's hard to prioritise hair when other much more important & pressing issues exist - just know your kindly regarded here & we all pray, hope & wish for your full recovery - take good care buddy cheers CEM.
Hi CEM,
Thanks so much for your well wishes! I am finally totally healing from my last two surgeries and feeling much better. Hopefully I can stay away from the hospital for a while now! I don't like to trim because of the loss of length, but it is necessary. Your thoughts and prayers are truly appreciated my friend! Please take care and be well!
Ted
I was able to stay out of the hospital for all of 2014, the first year I could say that since 2005. It felt damned good when I realized that. I'm glad, Ted, that you're moving into a less intense stage with your needs for medical treatments as well, and I'm happy for you. I hope for an encore of my 2014 performance in 2015! And I hope for you the same!
My situation has also not been the kindest to my hair, and I've had to be vigilant when it came to doctors wanting to try various meds. None of the meds caused massive hair loss, but one in particular caused me to lose substantial length and thickness. I went off of it a year and a half ago, and just now my hair and beard are coming in thick again. I've learned my lesson, and that is to google the name of any new med with the phrase "hair loss" to see what patients are actually saying. Drug companies and doctors seem to think the only kind of hair loss is "massive hair loss", but "substantial but not total" hair loss is likely far more common, and one has to watch out for that. The doctors won't, even if you've told them to, and they won't tell you they have failed to comply with your directive.
I'm now on a drug regimen that keeps everything at bay and does not seem to impacting my hair much, but my hair and beard still aren't what they were ten years ago, however, I am ten years older, too! It's not wholly possible to separate the two (hair loss from meds and from aging), but when you lose a lot of hair rather quickly, you know something has gone awry with meds. A guy just doesn't age that much over a period of several weeks.
I'd also add that most meds that harm your hair kill it on the first dose, although it will take several weeks for the massive shedding to occur. Doctors will suggest you "try a med to see what happens", and one must say "no". The answer instead is "research", and my experience is that you must do that yourself before popping the first pill.
My kidneys, although certainly impaired, have stabilized, and my kidney doctor for the first time recently said, "See you in a year!" I hope that situation continues, but I do wonder, you said they changed priorities for getting kidneys. You might tell us what those priorities were, and how they have changed. It sounds like for you the change was not positive, and I'm sorry to hear that.
Hang in there, man, and as always, celebrate the hair that you have!
Bill
Hi Bill,
Wow! Thanks so much for the great reply! I really appreciate your information and very kind remarks my friend! I am so happy to hear you were able to stay away from the hospital in 2014! Such good news! You and I shall do our level best to do that in 2015! I am going to try to use the info you posted here as far as meds go. It seems like the docs are always wanting to prescribe drugs before checking further into things. I am very happy to hear you have found a good regimen that works well for you.
I am also glad to hear your kidneys have stabilized and the doc gave you the good news! I will try to find out exactly what the transplant nurse can tell me about the priorities for kidneys changing. He didn't go into detail when I talked to him on the phone.
Thanks again for your nice reply and please be well my friend!
Ted
Hi Ted,
I must say you hair looks really good. Keep the trims but please don't cut off. Glad to hear you are in better health.
Best to you in all the following years.
white mane
Hi White Mane,
Thank you kindly for your well wishes and comments my friend! No I will not cut my hair unless it gets so bad that it would help the situation. I will most likely try to get a little trimmed about every 4-6 months. I must say I really like your hair as well!
Please stay well and keep it growing!
Ted
Beautiful hair, healthy shine and wave. Good texture and rich color. Keep on truckin'
Hi Jason,
Thanks so much for your very nice comments! I shall keep on truckin' my friend! Hopefully I can at least get to mid-back length this year! I do really love your hair as well my friend! Please take care and be well!
Ted
Hi Ted,
I'm sorry that you continue to battle with your health issues. Let's hope 2015 brings you that new kidney!
As for your hair, it certainly looks to be as thick as ever so that's a good thing even if the growth rate has slowed. Your ends must be nice and fresh with the trims.
Wishing you the best,
Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks so much for your very nice comments! I must say I am feeling much better now and healing up finally. It will probably be a few more years until I get a kidney. They have changed the way kidneys are allocated to transplant patients.
My hair has been testing my patience. It seems like it stopped growing for a while there. I was considering cutting it off and starting over. Mind you, that hasn't left my mind yet! But at the very least, I will be getting regular trims from now on to keep it looking better. Of course, I have always loved your hair!
Please be well and take care my friend!
Ted
Ted, you're doing wonderfully, and your hair is nice and thick, beautifully looked after. I hope this new year will bring you a kidney and full health.
Anthony
My blog
Hi Anthony,
I thank you kindly for your well wishes and very nice comments! I am trying to be patient with my slow hair growth and such. Hopefully I can get some good growth this year toward my goal.As far as my health, it will probably be much better this year. However, I probably have at least another 3-5 years for a kidney transplant. But I can wait!
Please stay well and keep your beautiful hair growing my friend!
Ted
Your hair looks nice and thick and healthy, Ted. I know how you feel about cutting it but it looks good. You look good. I hope your health will improve and your hair will gain the length you want. It's good to see your pictures.
Hi Fitz,
I do thank you so much for your very nice comments! I must say you look pretty damn good yourself! I am going to try to stay healthy this year and grow this hair out! Maybe I can get close to mid-back length!
Please be well and keep your wonderful hair growing my friend!
Ted
Hi Ted,
Thank you for your update and showing us your current mane.I feel bad that your growth rate has slowed so by maintaining a healthy length is certainly not a bad thing.
I read what Bill and others wrote concerning health and taking meds and I agree you must be the final arbiter with what you put in your body.Sometimes the healthcare industry doesn't always have your best interests in mind.Best policy is to always stay vigilant my friend.Cheers
Mârk
Hi Mark,
Thanks so much for your very nice reply! Yes, I am just going to have to sacrifice some small length multiple times per year to improve my growth. I noticed many split ends since I hadn't trimmed it in so long.
You are correct about the vigilance needed with the meds. The docs always want to depend on drugs to fix things. I sometimes think meds are over-prescribed. And quite frankly, I get tired of taking so many pills!
Please stay well my friend!
Ted
Looking great, handsome fellow!
- Oren
Ted
Looking Good, my friend
Walter
Hi Walter,
Thank you so much for your very kind words! I hope you are doing well and enjoying life! Please take care and be well my friend!
Ted
-----------------
It looks good. I am amazed how thick it is despite all your health issues. May 2015 be a good growth year for you.
Scott
Hi Scott,
Thanks so much for your very kind comments! I do certainly hope 2015 is a better year for me healthwise! And I wish nothing but the best for you as well my friend! Of course, I have always been inspired by your lovely hair! Please be well my friend!
Ted
As always it is good to see your updates and to hear that things are improving. The thickness and texture of you hair look great. It sounds like 2014 was a troubling year for several of us, myself included. Lets hope 2015 has nothing but good health and good news for all of us.
Hi Mike,
Thanks so much for your very nice remarks! Yes, I am looking forward to a healthy 2015! I hope everything wil be nothing but the best for you and your family as well! We shall overcome the less than perfect last year! Please stay well and keep your hair growing my friend!
Ted
Hi Ted,
It is really good to see you on tne hyoerboard again, and you are in my thoughts and prayers always.
Your hair looks really good here, and nice and thick all the way to the ends after your trim. All the best to you always, and keep up the good work with the growing!
Take care,
David
Hi David,
I really appreciate your thoughts and prayers! I shall try to stay healthy and out of the hospital this year! I think I have gotten everything taken care of finally! I am definitely feeling better nowadays! Yes, I am going to keep doing small trims to keep the split ends at bay.
Please stay well and thanks again for your prayers my friend!
Ted
Hi Ted,
You have a great looking head of hair to work with; so don't worry about trimming or not trimming, you have a mane to be proud of, regardless!
Health issues are tough on us. And they can make life a bit extra difficult on us as longhairs. I knew a guy who was in a horrible motorcycle accident, for example, who had belt-length hair before being hospitalized; but because his hair had gotten very tangled and matted while in the hospital bed, he ended up having to cut it to shoulder length once he returned home -- too many knots and snarls that apparently wouldn't untangle.
Also Bill's comments about his experience with medications that can have bad side effects, such as hair thinning and even hair loss, are serious concerns. I don't like the idea of "experimental" drugs being used on me, for example; so all the more reason to stay vigilant and become informed re. any new drug that a Dr. might prescribe to us.
May 2015 be a wonderful year for you, bringing you excellent health AND excellent hair!!!
- Ken
Hi Ken,
Thanks so much for your very kind comments! I do want to start trimming about a 1/4 inch off every so often to maintain nice ends. Yes, health issues just make things more complicated unfortunately. I am happy that I don't have to take as many meds as I used to. That really is terrible about your friend having such bad tangling and having to cut his hair off! I sure hope that never happens to me!
I do hope 2015 is a healthy year and I can stay out of the hospital. I am feeling much better now and life is good. I wish you nothing but the best as well Ken in 2015! Please stay well and keep it growing my friend!
Ted
Hey Ted, looking good! Thanks for the update, I hope things are going better for you.... Take Care... The Spaf Man
Hi Spaf Man,
Thank you kindly for your very nice comments! Yes, things are going much better nowadays for me! I am finally healing up and getting over the past surgeries I've had. Now if I can just get my hair to grow a little bit, I'll be happy! I hope you have a great year growing as well as health-wise!
Ted
Amazing update, Ted.
The process of growing hair out also includes trimming it. Some people don't need a trim while others may need to do so a few times while growing it out. It's not just about length, but also about quality. You can have amazing long hair but it can look awful.. Aint nobody got time for that! haha.
Dont worry about how longer it could take to reach your final goal , also focus on your hair.
Hi Dave,
I thank you so much for your very nice comments! And I also would like to congat you on becoming a moderator on this fine board! That is very cool man! And your hair is just looking so damn awesome my friend! You are doing a wonderful job growing it that's for sure! I just love your total look!
Yes, I understand what you mean about the trimming. I think I simply waited too long to do any trimming of the ends and the split ends got so bad. I will try not to let that happen again! I do notice a difference after trimming when combing the ends that's for sure.
I hope you have a wonderful year and please stay well!
Ted