Progress

Got my 6th Iron Iv last Saturday (pic above.)
I have one more to go before they test my levels again.
After the first round of 3, my ferritin had come up to 15 (from 3)
I need to be at least in the 40s to be able to have my body be able to grow hair again.. and 90s is the goal for health.

This is me last week (sans makeup)
I have real color in my cheeks again! Woohoo. ByeBye pasty face.
My eyes are a little puffy, but they always are in the morning.. 😒
Progress!
I have also been taking iron supplements in between,
added red meat into diet,
and next step is to get my cast iron pan seasoned so I can actually use it.
I am doing seven star hammer (also called squash blossom hammer) on my scalp 3Xs a week. stimulates the scalp, it''s a little painful,
but what's a little pain?
It's this little bendy hammer with needles in the head of it, that you bang on your scalp until it turns bright red.  Fun!
I can't really explain in words how crushing losing my hair has been on my sense of feeling 'presentable'
But I put on my big girl boots and go to work anyways. The first couple months were a struggle, coworkers curious about my sudden affinity for hats, lots and lots of comments.. all the way to the downright nosey/possibly mean comments, "gosh I'm just dying to know how long your hair is getting under there!" Really Nancy? Cuz I'm just dying to dump this cup of coffee on your head.. ahem..
some of the comments stung..people can be well, indelicate (read: a55holes.)
On the other hand, the people on my direct team have not uttered a peep, and continued to be helpful and supportive team mates and even interrupted questioners on my behalf..which is pretty awesome to have that kind of support, not knowing what's going on.
Anyways,
For the most part the bugging me about the hats, has stopped now, and folks have accepted..that a business jacket with a crazy wool hat is just my style.
I have a bunch of wigs on my amazon 'wishlist' (ironic)
But I'm waiting to see if it will start to grow back or not.
As of last night, one of the bald spots has grown back from silver dollar size to the size of a pea.. so I have hope.
Hope!
Meanwhile, I have learned that I am perfectly presentable, wearing a hat. In my own head at least, and that's all that really matters.
I am still me.
I also have stopped beating myself up for being shallow, and so worried about my hair, it's just part of the process.
Losing things is hard on everyone.