My Survivors: How Chemo Changed My Family

I had long, thick hair before this all started. As expected, I lost the majority of it, in massive clumps, about two weeks after starting chemo treatments. I haven’t shaved my armpits or legs for months at this point, and I no longer complain about unwanted facial hair — although I have had to learn how to draw on my eyebrows. I like to think that, compared to some of the other chemo side effects and complications, I’ve generally taken the whole no-hair-thing in stride.

Chemo involved the in...