kastababy

46, Female

Nashville, TN

United States

Profile Information:

Relationship Status:
Single
About Me:
I'm a walking contradiction -- I'm peacefully violent, a popular nerd, wickedly innocent, and loudly quiet...in other words, I know how to make myself stand out in a crowd. I have an opinion about everything, and have an endless thirst for knowledge. One of these days I'm going to take over the world, but I have yet to come up with what I want to do when I get that small task completed. (That, and I haven't found a good sidekick yet to drive the getaway car!) I have decided that this year is the year that I start writing more in the hopes that I finally get a story published!!! Now that Barack Obama has been elected President, I'm content to stay in the good old USA for a little while longer, although I still have my escape plan to Canada in a secure location in case things change. I'm political, controversial, well-read, stubborn, opinionated, and determined to make an impact on the world, and maybe leave it a little bit better than it was when I entered it. I'm always updating and changing things, so keep checking out my page often!

About my alopecia: I was bald as a baby, and my hair didn't really grow in until I was about 2 years old, so it's impossible to say if I had alopecia then or not. However, after my hair did grow in, my mother noticed two bald spots when I was 4 years old. One was the size of a dime, the other was the size of a quarter. When she realized that I wasn't cutting plugs out of my hair and it wasn't coming out on my pillow or in the hairbrush, that was when we started going to the doctors. I wasn't officially diagnosed with alopecia areata until I was 6 years old; by that time, I was in the 3rd grade and totally bald. I stayed that way, albeit with brief periods of partial regrowth, until I reached high school. My hair started falling out again when I was a freshman in undergrad, and it has been persistent AA with brief periods of AT and AU. It's been that way ever since.

As a child, I was very comfortable with being bald, because I had two parents and a grandmother that went above and beyond to make me comfortable with myself and stress to me continually that I was beautiful inside and that being beautiful inside would translate to being beautiful outside; perhaps it is because of this that I have become somewhat of an overachiever -- not only do I have to be successful at whatever I do, but I have to excel in it. However, as an adult, the blind confidence bordering on arrogance that was so much a part of me has gradually disintegrated. I have become less sure of myself and depressed at times because I have felt the hurt and rejection that comes with not being appealing to most men. I have lashed out at the people who have supported me the most, because I feel sometimes that I was misled into believing that at some point I would outgrow alopecia, but like Krazy Glue alopecia is stuck to me and won't let go, and that fact has been more crushing than anything I have felt in a long time.

After nearly 3 years living and working in Atlanta, GA and Memphis, TN, I returned to my hometown of Nashville, TN in September 2008. Living away from home completely on my own really forced me to become more independent than I ever would be had I remained in Nashville. It has also enabled me to view alopecia with new eyes that haven't been colored by the opinions of my friends and family closest to me. Since discovering Alopecia World, I have found more healing and acceptance in the nearly 4 years of the site's existence than I did in 27 years of searching, for which I am eternally grateful!

My purpose on AW is to motivate and inspire others -- it is my hope that in leading by example and living my life to its fullest potential in spite of societal views on alopecia, bald women, and women of color specifically, others will come to their own acceptace of alopecia in their lives and let their beautiful, vibrant selves shine through!
Do you have alopecia?
Alopecia totalis
Are you age 18 or older?
Yes - I am 18 or older
Your Website (Leave blank if you don't have one):
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/kastababy

Comment Wall:

  • Julia

    Well, It sure looks like you came to the right spot. This is going to grow into a GREAT community of Alopecians...such support...

    Mar 7, 2008

  • Cheryl, Co-founder

    Hi YoKasta,

    We are so excited to be starting this site and truly hoping it will be a place that we can all share our experiences.

    I have had alopecia for 17 years and was 26 when it started and I know the issues I had to fight through. I am truly hoping this site will help us in our struggles as we share what worked and what didn't with each other.

    Keep in touch and THANK YOU for coming!

    Mar 7, 2008

  • Jill

    Thanks so much!! This site is great! I'm very excited.

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Alex

    Thanks!

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Sara

    Thank you :)

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Sophie Ray

    Yeah im glad im here too! its great to see other people with alopecia! ive never talked to anyone else with alopecia! this is cooll!!

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Lucas Quimby

    Thank you, I am liking it already.

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Michelle Chapman

    It's life, kastababy, but not as we know it!!

    Mar 8, 2008

  • elyse

    hi! :)

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Janna

    Thanks so much YoKasta! This is wonderful to see on the net!! So glad to meet you :)

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Mama B

    Thank you for the warm welcome, YoKasta. It's so nice to find a site like this where one can talk openly about dealing with alopecia. Very glad tohave found you!

    Tammy

    Mar 8, 2008

  • brian kirchman

    thanks for the welcome comment and the info on the naaf convention....really do hope to see you there im working on the specs of it all called but i guess they dont work weekends

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Emily

    I also find myself struggling with my alopecia more and more as I get older...it's kind of interesting isn't it? As we get older we become much more aware of just how different we are, and of how others deal with (or try to get rid of) that difference.

    Mar 8, 2008

  • Ellie

    Hi Yokasta
    Wow!! Very nice profile.
    I lost 90% of my hair. right after retiring & moving to another state. So the transition wasn't so bad , no one here knew me when I had hair.
    My husband has been very supportive.
    Never give up! Let keep in touch.

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Sherry Schaefer

    Hi Yokasta!
    Thanks for the warm welcome, great to meet you! This is a neat site...I totally relate to you moving in and out of acceptance with this condition, I do the same. God's mercies are fresh every day and that's what gets me through.
    Take care!

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Karen Martin

    I lost my job at Goodwill because of the hat and wig not being in the dress code. They strung me along for 6 mos. and not getting to work and they wanted a paper filled out and it had a term that my doctors said they can't fill out and Goodwill refused to change the term...counted me voluntarily quit and no rehire. In Tn you have 180 days from the actual date of discrimination to file and they strung me along 6 mos. So nothing I can do. And jobs are so scarce and can't find anything. No one is shopping Goodwill in my area because of what they did to me. Where do you work? I saw where you have a relationship and that is great. I am still trying to figure out this new look of this site. LOL Guess I am dated to the old things. LOL Hope to find your comments soon. LOL

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Roger

    Thanks a lot! I really like this site.

    Roger.

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Michelle Chapman

    In response to your question, I personally gave up many years ago with treatments, although do advise people (through my work and Alopecia Awareness support group) to check what is available to them from their Doctor and NHS. But you know as well as I do that alopecia is not classed as a life threatening condition, therefore doesn't demand much in the way of funding, be it for treatment or for wigs.
    Bottom line is that afer all the years of having alopecia, I'm here to support and look out for everyone I can help! Michelle

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Maria, Mia's Mom

    Thanks for the welcome...I THINK ITS REALLY COOL THAT YOU INFORMED PEOPLE OF THE MD ANDERSON RESEARCH..MY DAUGHTER IS PART OF THE PROGRAM..WE SIGNED UP AND DONATED BLOOD THROUGH COLUMBIA PRES. NY.maybe if more people join there is a greater chance of finding a cure or finding a better understanding of alopecia.
    stay strong.

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Karen Martin

    I saw your post for Dotty. Yes her head is tatooed. She hates wigs. She is a wonderful person and been such an inspiration to me. I met her on Wig Support and also the Alopecia Areata community. She is a wonderful person. And a heart bigger than the earth itself.

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Karen Martin

    What is that? My case was documented through state and mental helath people. They would not change the words "what physical illness does she have that prevented her from working???" I was not mentally ill but my family doctor and daughter had me behind my back sent to a mental hospital. I was there over night and they said this is physicil not mental. But the doctors there told Goodwill they had to change the term to mental so they could fill out the papers and clear all this up. My family doctor refused to be involved and there was nothing physical proven eiher. All my tests showed normal. So Goodwill gave me 30 days to get this paper filled out or I was voluntarily quit and the state doctors and etc were telling them they couldn't if they didn't change the term. Goodwill drug me along for 6 months. Then sent a paper saying I was voluntarily quit. And when I tried to hire back in they said I was a no rehire. I found out about a year and a half later that I was not a no rehire and there is no real reason in my file as to why I quit. Every reason they claimed there is proof behind it that wasn't it. So they have taken the no rehire off but I know how they click and they won't rehire me...will always claim someone was more experienced or something. I have seen them throw away aps because they didn't want someone there because of color and etc. Then turn around and hire a family member or friend when it says very plain in the policy that two family members or someone dating can't work at the same place. So I guess I was just dumped on for illness and nothing much I can do. I would love to help someone put them in their place though. Along with the public here. They complain all time and nothing is ever done. they also had documentation from the mental health doctors that something medical was why I had to wear the hat. They refused it because they were mental. Finally got a doctor statement for the hat and then they said I was out to many days...I was trying to work and they wouldn't let me because of the hat. Just one big circle and wasting my time and dumped me out with V. Quit.

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Kelvin

    Thanks for the add Yokasta x Im very pleased to be here x

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Marjorie

    Thanks. It's so nice to find a place where I'm not the only one with alopecia. It's a nice feelibng.

    Mar 9, 2008

  • Sweet Mary HiLL

    thanks for the weLcome. it's good to be here. i'm excited to meet new peopLe&buiLd support systems.

    Mar 9, 2008