You have what?

This weekend is the alopecia conference I talked about months ago.

I am so intrigued. Excited. And nervous. 

So today I told my girls I was leaving for the weekend.  At first my oldest was sad I was going. Especially when I told her in which city it was.

She went on to ask me what I was planning on doing. I told her the truth, namely that I was attending the alopecia areata conference. 

She then asked me a question that floored me.

She asked me what alopecia was????

I was so surprised. What did she mean that she did not know what alopecia was???

And then it became clear. 

I had never told her the real name for my condition. 

She has grown up experiencing the disease and seeing it. Yet never had we called it by its name. 

ALOPECIA

When I told her, all I got was an "oh"

But it was a reminder to me that as parents, we often don't use the technical terms of medical issues, but rather describe them. 

So now my daughter knows the name of my condition and equally importantly, tomorrow I am off to the conference. 

Wish me luck!!!!