Any creative, everyday tips?

[Erica DeAnn]

Hi everyone! I'm sure we all have our unique ways of doing things that non-BPI people take for granted. I was just curious if anyone wanted to share some of their "tips".

Like me, for example...I have long, blonde hair and have been pinning it up in that stylish "youthful" look....kinda like a little peacock thing going on! Like something the chicks on "Friends" would do..ha! I sit on the couch, gather my hair behind me, on top of the back of the couch. That way, the couch acts as another hand, "holding" my hair up. I twist it up, stand up, and bend my head over and press it against a wall--the wall "holds" the twisted hair so that I can easily pin it up w/ a barrette or clip. Voila....an up-do!

What I would LOVE to do, is wear my hair in a pony tail. But since I can not use my arm or hand AT ALL, I guess I'll have to teach the couch to put my hair in a ponytail!

Erica DeAnn

[Judy-T]

Thanx Erica DeAnn, I did my first updo that looks halfway decent. My tips are the one handed pizza dough roller and the electric one handed cordless canopener. these are my favorite kitchen gadgets.
Judy

[CW1992]

Hi Erica,
My ten year old also has long blonde hair. She has a hard time combing all of the way thru it sometimes, especially the top of her head - and right now I mainly help her fix her hair. When she does it though - she brushes what she can reach the best and then she wears a little headband/bandana looking thing - she has them in all sorts of colors. It's a headband with a triangle bandana attached to it that flops on top of her head. We got them at Claires in the mall. Anyway - it pretty much hides the top part of her head that she can't brush out as well, and it keeps her hair out of her face.

Also you can get those big material stretchy headbands - sort of like a wide big scrunchy - in all sorts of colors. If you first pull it down over your whole head - kind of like a necklace - then once you pull the headband back up your hair will already be pulled together and you can twist the headband scrunchy around your ponytail to hold it in place. I think I got those at Walgreens.

I like your peacock idea. I'll have to tell my daughter about that. I'm glad that you posted. Yesterday for the first time I realized how often I just automatically do my daughter's hair for her and she needs to be learning more ways that she can do it herself. I hope other's post with their ideas too.
Thanks,
Christy

[Kathleen]

I need the wall to blow dry my hair...

I put the dryer in bpi hand... lift my arm on the wall then move my head around using my unaffected arm to maneuvers the brush... I have curly hair that I like to look straight..... boy do I look silly. I stopped wearing my hair long - it was so much work I needed a nap after I finished drying it... but blow drying my hair is a job...

If we are going away I bring an extension cord for the hair dryer so I can lean my bpi arm up in the air on a door way... that is so much easier to dry my hair that way...

Now today I was looking for a very light small hair dryer... I found a very small vidal sasoon dryer at Target today...but guess what ... the stock room was out of them!!! my tiny dryer is a 100 years old and I know its going to die any day and I want to be prepared... it is very tiny and very light... I have several dryers but discovered that I need a small light and thin handled one...

I just bought a potato peeler Copco... has a thick rubber handle and some chrome on it... I love it... it is so much easier then the light floppy ones... and I can feel it in my hand because it is heavy and had the metal strip that is cold...

Kath

[kathy]

After my injury I was most frustrated that my husband had to do my hair. A friend of mine bought me a brush curling hair dryer. I have shorter hair, but it lets me curl and dry at the same time (with one hand).
But I need suggestions on this one: I am a little embarrassed that my husbnd has to cut my meat when we go out to eat. We get strange looks - but then don't we all? Has anyone asked to have your meat cut up before they bring it to you?

Kathy

[admin]

Hi Kathy. I get my food cut up for me at restaurants. I can use my erbs arm but it sticks out and if the table is small, when my family sit around it i bang the person next to me with my arm so it is a lot easier to ask for it to be cut for me that way my arm does not get in the way of everyone at the table. The first time i asked for this i think the people thot it was some kind of joke but after we visited more often they understood after we explained. It makes goin out for meals so much easier. give it a try, dont b scared.
Michelle

[Kristie]

Kathy,
I know there is someone on these boards that makes cards you can show to waiters and stuff... it askes them to cut stuff up...maybe if you post on the General Board they will respond... the made some and laminated them for my son but that was at least 6 months ago!! I found a link right here on UBPN for them.... ok for the moment my computer is having trouble opening it up... so if I don't post again before you get a chance to look... go to the awareness section... pick the everything button... scroll most of the way down... look for resturant information cards. I think you can print off some onto business cards and discreetly hand them to the waiter!
Hope this helps
Blessings,
Kristie

[Stephanie]

My hair is short now, but boy would I have loved that big scrinchy headband to life my hair in a pony tail when I was younger and it was long.
Velcro curlers are my savior. I sit on the floor, my curlers all next to me. I can set my whole head with one hand using them. I get a piece of hair to put n the curler and grasp it with my thumb and forefinger of bpi hand. My bpi elbow is propped up on my left knee so I can reach my head. Then with the good hand, I grab a curler and roll the hair around it. The velcro works so good that you can probably do the whole thing with just the good hand if you try.

Geez!! No wonder I permed my hair for 20 years!!

As for being embarrassed about having someone cut your meat in a restaurant...I supposed most of us have been down that road. My husband has always been most gracious about doing this, and I got over being embarrassed by it, as I have most other things, as I got older.Although if I really am in a mood where I don't want to deal with the issue, I just order the "flaky" fish item on the menu. LOL! It's healthier for you, anyway!!
Let's not forget the guys creative ways of dealing with everyday BPI issues.
Guys?

)-Stephanie

[Erica DeAnn]

CW1992 - our ponytail trick sounds GREAT! I'm stopping on my way home from work and looking for one of those big scrunchies! Thanks so much!!!!

Erica DeAnn

[Erica DeAnn]

Well...I did it! My first 'real' ponytail!!! Thanks for the tip about the big scrunchie. It looked much better than using a barrette or clip. Who knew a 25-year-old could get so happy about a ponytail????!!!

Erica DeAnn