THE GIFT

"Oh no! It's happening again!" moaned Maggie from the bathroom.

"What's happening again, dear?" asked her mother from the kitchen where she was preparing breakfast for everyone.

"Look! More of my hair is falling out!" cried Maggie as she came over to the kitchen door. "See," she said, holding out the comb.

"Oh, Maggie," laughed her mother. "Everyone loses hair when they comb it or brush it. Old hair falls out or hair gets broken off. It's natural."

"But, mom, it's been like this every day this week," Maggie complained. "If this keeps up, I'm going to be bald by the end of the month!"

Her mother laughed again and said, "Perhaps you're combing it too hard, dear. Try to be more gentle and see what happens. Now, come and eat breakfast so you'll be ready when the bus gets here."

For the next week Maggie did try to be more kind and gentle with her hair. But each time she finished, there was another handful of it in the comb.

Then her mother suggested it might be the shampoo so they switched to another brand. But, that didn't work either.

Maggie's hair was beginning to look thin all over. She could even see small patches of scalp on one side near the top of her head. She began to part her hair on the opposite side to cover them up.

Maggie's mother was worried now. She decided to make an appointment with a dermatologist.

Two weeks later, at three o'clock on Thursday afternoon, Maggie and her mother visited Dr. Linden. In the consultation after the examination, he told them that Maggie was not the only person with this particular problem. Over the past year he'd had at least five other children come to his office in the same predicament. These young patients ranged from three to sixteen years of age. Some were losing just the hair on the top of their heads. Others were losing the hair from all over their bodies.

When Maggie asked him what caused this, Dr. Linden told her there were many different ideas or theories. Some doctors said it was genetic and it passed down from grandparents to parents to children. Other doctors said it was because of allergies, or reactions to medication, or stress and worry, or diet, or poor health, or environmental conditions. It could even be a combination or mixture of any, some, or all of these things.

Dr. Linden ordered some tests on Maggie because he needed more information about her. He also changed her asthma medicine and gave her some cream to rub on her scalp. It was supposed to protect it and to stimulate hair growth.

Maggie felt better knowing that she was not the only one with this problem. But, somehow it still didn't alter the fact that she was slowly going bald! Even the kids at school were noticing her hair, or rather, the lack of it. They didn't exactly come right out and tease her about it but she knew they were looking at her and they were talking about it behind her back. When she walked past them in the hallway, she could see them whispering to each other. She could hear comments like "Does that kid have cancer?" or "Hey, look, check out that cue ball!" or" Wow, is she having a bad hair day or what!" If she glanced in their direction, they quickly looked away.

At the end of the next week, Dr. Linden called with the test results. They confirmed his suspicion. Maggie had a condition called 'alopecia areata'. Dr. Linden said that she might end up being bald all over. He also said there was a very good chance her hair might grow back again. After all, she hadn't lost any hair on the other parts of her body yet. They would just have to wait and see.

"Oh, no!" screamed Maggie when her mother told her. Then she started crying and ran to her room.

Maggie's mother let her have some time alone then she went to her door, tapped softly, and asked if she could come in.

"Sure," said a very dejected Maggie.

Her mother sat down on the side of the bed and put her arms around her. "Things will work out," she said. "I'm sure of it. We just have to be patient and stay positive. There's lots of hope." She handed Maggie a tissue. "Now dry your tears and let's go shopping! You need some new summer clothes and I need a break from housework."

Maggie's lips began to slowly curl up at the edges and soon she was wearing one of her widest smiles ever.

"Thanks mom!" she said. "That would be perfect!"

The next day her mother called and spoke to Mrs. Swan, Maggie's teacher. She explained the problem and together they decided that Mrs. Swan would explain Maggie's condition to the other students. It would help them to understand what was happening and also make the situation easier for Maggie.

Over the next month, Maggie wore the neatest clothes to school. Each outfit had it's own matching shoes and hat. There were cowboy hats, sailor hats, straw hats, bandana hats, polka-dot hats, striped hats, hats with flowers, hats with ribbons, hats with feathers. All kinds of hats!

Despite all this, by the end of June, Maggie was completely bald!!! Then came summer holidays! Some kids went to camp. Some kids went fishing. Some kids played baseball. Some kids went swimming. Some kids went bike riding. Some kids went horseback riding. Some kids went hiking. Some kids went traveling. Maggie did all of these things too - but, with hats and wigs on her head.

By the end of summer, something mysterious and miraculous had happened. Maggie could hardly wait to tell her friends but she kept it a secret because she wanted it to be a surprise for everyone.

When the first day of school finally arrived. Maggie was up early. She was so excited she practically danced around the house. She put on her new dress, her new shoes, and her new hat. She ate a quick breakfast and then her mother drove her to school.

When the buses arrived, Maggie was already standing on the playground, waiting for them. "Hi, everybody!" she yelled. She pulled off her hat and pointed to her head. "Look! I told you it would grow back and it did - just the way I've always wanted it!" she added.

There she stood, a very happy Maggie, with a whole mop full of curly hair!