Hair

I met a patient today. Granted, I meet about 20 per day, but this one patient. She turned my world upside down.

When I walked into the room, I literally didn't understand why she was even in the hospital. She was beautiful. She had olive skin that appeared to have no imperfections and sparkling, I kid you not, sparkling hazel eyes that appeared heavier than what the color suggested. But her hair. Oh my God, her hair. It was exquisite. Cascading waves curled around her shoulders that hugged the nape of her neck. I was in awe. She was smiling quietly as I introduced myself.

I did the ordinary supervisor spill and made small talk.

In the middle of me asking her if there was anything else I could do for her, she asked me if she could touch my hair. Which was tied up into a ridiculous careless bun since I was running late this morning.

My hair? Hello! Had she looked in the mirror???

Utterly taken back, I hesitated. She looked healthy, but she was obviously here for a reason. What the hell, right? I'll just deep scrub tonight. I took my hair out of the bun and shook it a bit.

She gingerly ran her fingers through my curls (which obviously suggests that she knew how to because so many people think curly hair is like straight hair and end up tangling your shit) and gently pulled on my curls and said
"It's so long and beautiful."

I told her she was crazy and that I never did my hair for work because of blah blah blah.

She smiled and told me, "Your hair really says a lot about your personality. I can tell you are as untamed and as exotic as your hair. You should dedicate some more time to it, you never know when your going to miss it."

I thought she was nuts. Sweet, but nuts. I told her she was right, brushing her off like any other patient I see on a daily basis.

The ATU nurse came in. Wait. ATU?

Cancer.

I watched quietly as she unlocked this gorgeous woman's bed and began to wheel her out. I stopped her at the door and told her that I promised her I would take better care of my hair.

She smiled, in tears, and said "Thank you. I'll always remember you and your kinky hair, even when I don't have mine. I'll remember you have yours and that you care."

As the nurse wheeled her away I realized how much we take advantage of the things we always have simply because we think we'll always have them.

I spent $162 dollars that I didn't have on hair products and shampoo and did my curls in whatever insane way I always wanted to try but never had the time.

It looked great.

And it's not only about my hair, this woman made me realize how very special every little detail is and how much we would miss it if it were taken away from us by force.

I celebrate her and every other little thing we take for granted.