Forum Activity for @κύριε-ελέησόν

Dreads and the healthcare profession...

Life Issues Facing Dreads

Hey!I work as a PCT on a med-surg floor. I was hired on with dreads. My patients do not mind my hair, actually at this point though, most don't notice it. They're only baby dreads at six months of age. If patients do notice it, they're usually more curious of how one can "do that to your hair?" I've had a couple patients feel more relatable to me and therefore I was a preferred tech of theirs. As stated by others though, you may find pts requesting different help based on your looks and questioning your skills likewise. It's only natural.The biggest problem I have is keeping them clean and maintained. The pony tail I wear them up in has caused them to dread kind of funny - they're growing paddles on the ends - and cleaning them after each shift is getting more tedious and exhausting as they mature. It's especially getting difficult to motivate myself to wash them when I'm working back-to-back shifts BUUUT... Go to bed with clean dreads or go to bed with some fun bugs I picked up in an isolation room? Best wishes!

Extensions! Help!

Introduce Yourself

*tie them in.

Extensions! Help!

Introduce Yourself

You can try wool extensions. There are tons of tutorials on YouTube explaining how to make them. Then you could just them in.

washing my dreads

Dread Maintenance

I wash mine almost everyday. I work in the hospital and am in and out of isolation rooms. So far I haven't had any bad results (I'm only five months in) like dreads coming undone, not maturing, mold, or what-have-you but I'd rather be clean and slow to have dreads than potentially taking MRSA, VRE, meningitis, C-Diff, influenza, etcetera to bed with me! LolThe only bad thing about washing so often is how long it takes to rinse your locks and dry them. I make sure they're fairly dry before I go to bed. This means a long time wrapped in a towel and wringing them out followed by blow drying for a while.

After dreadlocks????

General Talk

I agree with Sammie! You know the saying, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there..."?Well, if it is willed that you're meant to lose the dreads you will know and you will be ready to deal with it then. Until then... You're right where you should and (I'm presuming) want to be so don't try to cross that bridge yet! All my best!

Peaceful Beings with Respect

General Talk

Amen, sister!

Melatonin

Introduce Yourself

The sun emits ultraviolet light. UV light damages the retinas. This is an irrefutable fact.There may be other merits from sun gazing that science has been unable to confirm, but they're going to be anecdotal and therefore met with skepticism.Of course, science isn't always right. James, this website is a terrible place to seek medical advice pertaining to medications. Your questions sound more like ones to ask a doctor because of this. I hope you're not planning on making a decision on self-medicating melatonin based off the feedback you receive from us.There are other techniques/practices people here may be able to suggest to help you relax. Research them and give them a try as you see fitting. As far as chemicals going into your body, seek medical advice.I have trouble sleeping myself... It's a terrible feeling. I usually meditate, read, and pray while in bed. It has helped but it's not perfect. Lol, I also "work out" at work. I walk about 7 miles and probably lift (not even joking) a ton of weight over the course of my twelve hour shift. A work out can do wonders wearing you out and winding you down to sleep.Best wishes! I hope you can find something to help you sleep peacefully.

WHOA

Dreading Methods

Wow!!! I love 'em!
updated by @κύριε-ελέησόν: 07/13/15 11:48:15AM

Racism with dreadlocks?

General Talk

Thankfully, in my experience, most of us - blacks and whites - just want to get along.We just treat each other as the individuals we are. This is what's important!I'm thankful that the people I interact with don't see skin color. I'm blessed to live in a loving community. I pray everyone will someday live like this.

Racism with dreadlocks?

General Talk

It's to my understanding that racism is a completely different animal here in the States compared to elsewhere.Blacks have a long history here in the US of being put down, exploited, and even targeted for acts of violence. Not only on the individual level but systemically. During the colonial era they were enslaved and treated worse than dogs, after they were freed they weren't afforded any rights and crimes were permitted against them. It was only recently - in the 1960's - that our entire system was forced to change and they were afforded civil liberties and protection under the same laws as whites.During the Civil Rights struggle, various ways of establishing a distinctly African-American culture to unify them and rebel against the suppressive white culture came about. Dreadlocks were a product of this. Specifically they were popularized by Rastafarians due to the religion's (lifestyle's?) strong Afro-centrism.The very name is said to come from the slave captors response to seeing the matted filthy hair of the enslaved after emerging from the ship in the Americas. The four month trip across the Atlantic left the people with dreadlocks.Since the hairstyle became synonymous with black culture first here in the mainstream US and for some blacks has become a source of cultural identity,seeing the hairstyle on whites can evoke strong feelings leading to some blacks to contend whites are appropriating the hairstyle from them.On the opposite side of the coin, whites saw blacks identifying with this hairstyle and began to associate the look with them. As said earlier, until recently it was systemic to regard blacks as second class citizens therefore black culture was/is "beneath" white culture. Only "derelict" whites would want to adopt something from black culture.I could go on... But that's the gist of why there's the racism from both blacks and whites behind this hairstyle.As said before, the only reason this kind of hatred perpetuates is because of ignorance. We must take time to research and stay open-minded and loving towards each other. It will never go away but we can lessen it.