Help our dear friend Gary battle cancer

Hello friends, we have an announcement to make and there's no easy way to say it...

Our wonderful Gary Norman has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. We want to support him in any way we can. As we all know, medical bills can be very overwhelming and stressful in a time when stress is the last thing we need. Anything is helpful even if it's kind words of encouragement and strength.

Gary has written a message explaining what he has been going through and what his treatment will consist of.

"Several months ago I began to have trouble swallowing solid food, so I went to the doctor and they ordered some tests. Fast forward several weeks, and after all the scans, scopes, and bloodletting, it has been confirmed.

I am officially on medical leave from the salon, and will be starting chemo and radiation treatments on November the second. Once the tumor has shrunk, the plan is to have surgery. Ugh. Those of you who know me, know that I don't often post personal info, but this time around I thought it best to share with you what’s going on.

My pain is, for now, being well-managed. My energy level is pretty low, but I'm working on it. Because of that, I'm asking for you to hold off on calling or texting me. My throat gets tired quickly if I talk too much, and as much as I love all my friends, I would prefer to be able to choose the timing of communication. If you want to reach out, it would be much better to message me on FB, or email me. It will brighten my day to hear from friends.

I've lost 25 pounds as a result of this. I'm not complaining, I'm bragging! Ha!

On that note, if anyone is thinking of dropping food by the house, know that I am on a liquid-only diet, which does NOT include alcohol (Dammit!) As much as I love a good surprise, when it comes to food, it’s best if I’m in-the-know.

I'm not sure how long this fight will go on, as it is impossible to predict. I have planned for 4 months of leave, but may need to extend that. We shall see. As scary and awful as all of this is, please know that I plan to fight this tooth and nail. Thank you in advance for all your love and support.

One last thing, since I don't post much on FB I'm probably not showing up on many people's feeds, so please feel free to

share the news.

XOXO, Gary"

Thank you ALL for your love and support for our friend, we appreciate all of you!

Lots of love,

The team at Hyde West Studio