Surgery can be incredibly daunting for many people, and the fear is usually made worse by the weeks – or even months – of recovery after. Thankfully, one woman had some peace of mind following her operation when she discovered what her surgeon had done. He’d been kind enough to braid her hair before the procedure so he wouldn’t have to shave it off.

They Weren’t There Before

India Marshall was quite confused when she woke up and felt braids on her head. She knew she’d put two in before going to sleep, but what she touched seemed like more than that. It wasn’t until the following day when the bandages were removed from her head that she discovered there were now six there.

The woman’s first assumption was that the braids had been done by the nurses who’d helped treat her for her osteomas, or benign bone growths. However, it wasn’t until she went to her post-op appointment that she discovered it was actually her surgeon who’d done the good deed himself.

Helping With Her Recovery

As a father to three black daughters, Dr. Jewel Greywoode was familiar with both the importance of, and how to braid, black hair. That’s how he was able to work some magic on India’s locks before carrying out his surgery. Understandably, the patient was touched by Greywoode’s gesture, and not simply because of his actions. The reason he gave braiding her hair also really struck a chord.

According to Greywoode, his intention was to avoid shaving her hair wherever possible. This is something he tries to do with all his patients because he knows the impact it can have on the recovery process. Not having to walk around with a bald patch – or worse, a bald head – really works wonders for a person’s self-confidence.

We’re glad to know that Dr. Greywoode is the kind of man who’d go the extra mile for his patients.

Keeping busy during this crisis hasn’t always been easy. There are only so many ways you can entertain yourself when you’re stuck in your home. Fortunately, the senior citizens at Washington State’s Spiritwood Assisted Living have found the perfect way to occupy their time, and that’s by recreating famous people for a calendar.

Something For The Seniors

The idea for this photography project came courtesy of Jennifer Angell, the community relations director at the nursing home. She came up with it back in 2018 and thought it would be a great way to put a smile on the residents’ faces. What’s more, by using the photos in something like a calendar, she figured they could also help raise money for important causes. The Alzheimer’s Association was their charity of choice.

A Roaring Success

The first time that the nursing home did one of these projects, it took around four months of work. There were no expectations on them, so it wasn’t like they needed to rush anything. However, as soon as the calendars went live, they sold like hotcakes. They ended up raising roughly $14,000 for their charity because the project appealed to so many people. It’s not often you get to see senior citizens let loose and have fun like this, so it’s no wonder that their calendars were incredibly popular.

A Pleasant Distraction

Given how well their first project went, the nursing home had no doubt that they’d make another. Of course, working on the latest one has had its struggles due to the ongoing crisis. However, the benefit of being stuck indoors for so many months has meant that the senior citizens don’t really have much else to do. Dressing up and taking photos has proven to be a nice distraction from not getting to see their families.

We look forward to seeing the new calendar when it launches in the coming months.