<p>I think Marie Antoinette is excellent for a wig head. Or maybe Anne Boleyn.</p>
<p>About the hat thing–remember that hats you buy when bald may not fit when you have hair again. If you care. (One friend burned all her hats once her hair came back; another kept tham and used them.)</p>
<p>I assume from the mention of chicken soup that you are finding food you can eat while on chemo (my husband didn’t like the way chemo changed the taste of food), which is a good thing.</p>
<p>Daahhling, you can’t be more adorable than Eva or Zsa Zsa when in Firenze or New York (where I am sure you just adore a penthouse view) so I am sending you a couple guilty pleasure websites. No need to natter on about the Renaissance as I am sure you will be seeing quite a bit of all of that. However, First a tune to really get you in the mood when called upon to befriend your wig, try <a href=“http://www.maggiore.net/greenacres/gatheme.asp[/url]”>http://www.maggiore.net/greenacres/gatheme.asp</a>)
Although I can’t top your mother’s idea about Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, which I thought was brilliant, I suggest a great chic flic and whatever beverage you can tolerate.
Here is the tonic…get a copy of the A Room With a View DVD and some popcorn…then make sure to find all the film scene locations when you are really there. Hopefully, you will also get some lovely ideas about hats from Maggie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter. <a href=“http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/r/roomwith.html[/url]”>http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/r/roomwith.html</a>. If you plan ahead, you can follow the director’s lead and be photographed in the perfect time of day for light at each special place.
Now one thing young men outright complained about when I was young and in Italy was that American girls were so blah and plain sans makeup and always in jeans and ugly shoes. Yes, they said our shoes were ugly. So may I suggest you not bring a lot of shoes so you can buy them there. French and German made shoes are about half price there compared to the USA…so we bought Mephistos and Birkenstocks cheaply in Florence. And gazed at the Ferragamos. Yes when faced with chemo, sometimes hats, eyeliner and shoes hold sudden allure.
I would suggest that you learn to apply eye liner well before you go, otherwise you do seem drab (yes, the boys said we were drab!) and underdressed even though you might not carry off as much as Sophia Loren could. And Italy licenses private agency guides in droves who are trilingual and pass stringent exams. Totally reliable and delightful with prices fixed and that was our one extravagance for one museum tour…they can help you avoid the crowds and swirl you right to the works of art with the best stories to tell. Perhaps even get permission to start a bit before the crowds for you, too. My son has a great love from Italian film scores and today he played this one for me on a car trip…Yo Yo Ma’s cello was incredible playing the Morricone film scores to Italian movies you have probably seen but never heard rendered quite this well…<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002YCVXI/worldmusicpor-20--guarantee[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002YCVXI/worldmusicpor-20--guarantee</a> it will fill your heart with anticipation to hear him play the theme to Cinema Paradiso.</p>
<p>I think the “classic” names are great…Bertha, Gladys, Shirley, Dorothy, Mimi, Sylvia, Francis, Sheila, Rosalyn, Murial, Vivian…</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best during this difficult time for you and your family. Have a wonderful time in Florence. It’s one of the most uplifting places I’ve ever visited.</p>
<p>How about “Harriet”?</p>
<p>Best wishes, Ellen. It sounds like you have a wonderful attitude and great support system behind you. I think the more positive people you surround yourself with the better off you will be. Your trip to Italy will the best medicine, enjoy every minute.</p>
<p>I vote for Alice.</p>
<p>I like Harriet but I think it is out because my aunt who lives nearby might not get the joke.
Ellen</p>
<p>Ellen and Mini, Have a wonderful trip to see your daughter in Italy. Sometimes these things are the best “medicine”. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.</p>
<p>Henrietta? Not quite Harriet, but a similar “sound”.</p>
<p>Ellen, </p>
<p>I have been on too long of a vacation from CC and am just reading this thread for the first time. I am not a regular poster on the parents’ forums and probably not known to you or Mini(David) at all, so forgive the sense of familiarity but let me join with everyone else who is so struck by this post, and a sense of identity for your situation by virtue of nothing more than being a fellow parent - in wishing you a wonderful trip and adding my prayers for you and your family.</p>
<p>Sometimes CC’ers make me laugh, or amaze me. They often help me and sometimes downright urk me. But I love how they all really care about each other and can all relate, at some level, one to the other. I think its great that you posted on this forum and hope the support I read here helps. I admire your positive attitude and sense of humor. I am sure its not always possible to call upon them - but I am sure it helps to be able to so as often as you do. </p>
<p>At this point, the trip to Florence is coming up soon. I am so excited at the prospect of seeing my child come home for term break - even after two years of becoming quite used to this - that I can hardly imagine how much you must be looking forward to your trip. Its just going to be so great to re-connect in person. Wishing you the best throughout all this.</p>
<p>We leave for Italy in 2 days. I am 2 weeks out from my last chemo and still dealing with side effects but it is not too bad, mostly fatigue. My white blood cell count is good and I have paperwork for ALL the meds I am taking with me and information just in case I need to see a doctor there. Most of my buzz cut is gone and a friend just gave me 3 additional berets, I still hate the wig. David says I need a big hoop earing to go with my bandanna pirate look. I will have to borrow one from D2.</p>
<p>I can’t wait to get there (not really looking forward to the 19 hours of traveling including layovers). We will send you all an update from Florence.
Ellen</p>
<p>Ellen, have a fabulous time!</p>
<p>Ellen~</p>
<p>Hope your travels seem short and the time with your precious daughter endless! Wishing you the best time ever! love, ~berurah et al</p>
<p>Ellen…may all your flights go smoothly…take care! send us the details for our vicarious pleasure.</p>
<p>Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.</p>
<p>Have a great time.</p>
<p>Have a great trip, Ellen. And try to keep Mini in line, though I realize energy will be taxed.</p>
<p>Ellen - Hope you and Mini have a wonderful time! When you get back, look into having that wig altered. My friend hated hers…flung it across the room frequently. Then she took it in for sizing and they discovered she has a pretty small head (she’s a pretty small lady) and they cut that baby down. Now she loves it (and she looks beautiful in it 
).</p>
<p>Ellen,</p>
<p>Sending hugs, prayers and best wishes to you…Can’t wait to hear about all your adventures!!</p>
<p>Buon Viaggio!!!</p>
<p>(a new CC’er who admires Mini’s posts and your courage and spirit!!)</p>
<p>Ellen–perhaps the wig needs an enticing Italian name (or not, if you really can’t stand it). Based on only two Christmases spent in Europe (one in my 20s, one in my 40s), it is really wonderful to be there at that time of year–festive and beautiful, and without the busyness and materialism that characterizes the season sometimes here in America. We are all thinking of you and wishing you all a wonderful time.</p>