Awesome C7 quad ponytail technique

[Theophania]

Hey ladies!

All these years since my injury, not being able to put my hair up on my own has always killed me. I just made this post talking about a video made by Elizabeth Kolbe, a C7 quad law student at Stanford, who shows how she can put her hair up independently using a technique that took her almost 2 yrs to perfect. It's damn impressive, considering how we how bad balance is at that level. Check it out: http://www.spinalpedia.com/blog/2012/02/for-the-ladies-amazing-quad-pony-tail-technique/

Has anyone else developed any hair techniques like this that could work for higher levels?

[Colin83]

Very interesting

[Patton57]

That's cool. That's actually the first time I've seen a quad put their own hair up.

As a C7 (male), I would love to see some kind of study done on the various degrees of hand function SCIs have and all the workarounds that they've come up with to make it in everyday life.

Wise, I'd be really interested to hear your opinion on my comments below in bold.

When I came home from rehab I would say I had 10% hand function (wrote with a cuff) and now 23 years post it's probably about 50ish%. I'm still coming up with new ways to do things but what I don't exactly understand is are my hands still improving (sometimes they seem to be) or am I just becoming better at learning how to use what I have. The hand is so complex and intricate that it's really hard to tell sometimes. Also, my hands look normal to the casual observer but test my fine motor movement and my limits are very clear.

When I play UNO you can see how it takes me about 15 seconds to draw each card off of the pile (unaided). Also getting dimes and nickels out of the change return slot in soda machines is painful to watch.

[Uncle Peter]

Is Elizabeth a member of CC?

[47+years]

I am fortunate to have one hand that works fairly well. When my daughter was a toddler she wanted twin pony tails. I had a little GE portable vacuum. I would comb her hair, wrap a rubber band around the end of the hose and suck her hair into the hose and push off the rubber band. It made perfect pony tails. My AB husband started using the same method. LOL

[Theophania]

@Patton - a study like that would be AWESOME. There are so many smart techniques quads have come up with that are just waiting to be exposed.

@Uncle Peter - I'm not sure! She should be :D

@47+ years - I need to see your technique in action! I'm trying to picture it, but am having trouble...

[Liz321]

I am fortunate to have one hand that works fairly well. When my daughter was a toddler she wanted twin pony tails. I had a little GE portable vacuum. I would comb her hair, wrap a rubber band around the end of the hose and suck her hair into the hose and push off the rubber band. It made perfect pony tails. My AB husband started using the same method. LOL

Genius!!!

[amanda]

I am fortunate to have one hand that works fairly well. When my daughter was a toddler she wanted twin pony tails. I had a little GE portable vacuum. I would comb her hair, wrap a rubber band around the end of the hose and suck her hair into the hose and push off the rubber band. It made perfect pony tails. My AB husband started using the same method. LOL :)

that's a freakin' awesome idea!!

I have one pretty good hand too....so I just pull it up and keep rotating the ponytail holder back to my good hand to wrap it tightly. Now that's usually a messy or tousled pony.
If I want a good polished pony I have to lay on my back on the bed with my head hanging off the side to use gravity to keep my hair hanging toward the floor. it makes it much easier since I don't have to multi-task by trying to keep my balance and put my hair where it doesn't really want to go!

[Sarah's Mom]

Sarah is a C6/C7 incomplete. When she was told that putting her hair up herself would be a new challenge for her, it was hard for me. Sarah is very private and independent. The first time that she was able to put her hair in a ponytaily almost made me cry - I am a big baby when it comes to Sarah anyways :( .....just to share. Of course she thought I was stupid....but it was a task that she could do on her own again. Sarah finally shared with me that she just kept trying when she was alone at night.

Just keep working on it.