When I was a kid my mom would wash my hair in the kitchen sink. Once when I was 6 to 8 years old (I can’t remember the exact age.) my mom found a little nickel sized bald spot on my head. Thinking it was odd she took me to the doctor. They didn’t know much but they did call it Alopecia Areata. They said most kids grow out of it but a few grow up and lose all the hair they have…and oh and by the way… no known cause and no known cure. SUPER! The word BALD was introduced to me as a child and it scared me to death. Well I went on and when I was about 16 my hair fell out above each ear in a strip about one inch high. I was worried about it but I had long curly 80’s hair so it was easily covered up. I went on losing it and getting it back in spots around my ears and on the back of my neck for years. When I was around 26 I started getting dime sized spots in my bangs or on the top of the back of my head. They came and went and I freaked out! From there it just got worse and worse. I started getting shots in my head. I never took steroids because I didn’t want the weight gain. I decided shots don't fix the problem and gave them up in about 2 years. I realized probably in 2005 that at some point I was going to have to buy a wig so I bought one just to wear it around the house to get a feel for it. Well, my first wig was a total nightmare and I knew when I walked out of that store I’d never wear it. (I have though… to mow the lawn in!) Well, my patches started getting bigger and bigger, started lasting longer and then I started getting them in really noticeable places. Then in about May of 2006 I realized I better start looking for a wig that I was seriously going to have to wear. One of my biggest fears was gonna actually take place… I was going to be bald. The next time I bought a wig I knew without a doubt that even though I hated it, the color wasn’t good and it didn’t fit me that I was going to have to wear it no mater what. It took forever for it to come and when I got it in July it was too big. The wig store didn’t really know how to alter or trim it and it was hideous. By the time I got it though my bald spots were very noticeable. I picked it up on a Saturday and by Monday (over the weekend) more hand full’s of hair had fallen out and I had to wear it. I got ready for work and my husband was home. I actually hyperventilated before I left for work, bawled all of the way there and when I got there I just about passed out. I walked in the door and one lady was sitting at her desk. I pointed at my head and mouthed to her that I was going home but (I'm thankful that she did this because she helped me to be strong) she shook her head, told me it looked fine and told me to come sit down. I cried off and on most of the day and got some weird looks but people got used to it. I don’t think some people even noticed that I had on a wig and I’m sure some people have forgotten I even wear a wig by now. I made it way worse in my mind than it actually turned out to be. We really think people pay more attention to us than they do. We underestimate there acceptance and understanding and expect way too often to be judged by others about our appearance when most people don’t even care. Anyway, that is a big part of my story. I hope someone can relate because I have never told anyone about this.