The Hair

Monday, April 11, 2016 0 Comments A + a -

hair doll, strange hairdress
photo borrowed from Magpie Tales


Some visitors I can remember. Some visitors' gifts, I can remember as well after several years. The reason is usually because they are memorable, unusual, or uncommon.

One day, a lady came to my patient's room in intensive care unit. Acting as a guard for my vulnerable patient (as most patients in the unit are critically ill) I almost stopped her at the door.

“Hi, I am Carin. I am her nurse,” I introduced myself as I look in the direction of my 32-year old patient.

“Oh, I'm K__. I am her sister.

I would not have guessed. My patient was pale with thinning straight hair. K has a lot of hair sticking up from her head to all directions. How can she drive with that hair thing? I wondered. As if her head was not enough, she handed my patient a voodoo-like doll.

I can't help but ask, “What is that?”

“It is a doll I made from my hair for her. So she will remember me. I am always here for her.”

I believe that the doll is made out of her hair tied in places to make figures of head, hair, arms, body, and limbs.

Weird, I thought, but whatever works for my patient (within limits) is fine with me. She seems to like it, anyway.

Nurse Volunteer Certified Critical Care Cardiac Surgery

I would love to read your comments.