Let me start with my friends’ hair and mushroom first
I started a sideline business as a hairstylist during the darkest moments of the pandemic when there seemed to be no end in sight, and everyone’s hair had grown to an unbearable, messy length.
The (half) life long lesson for me from this incident was that, sometimes you just rise to an extraordinary occasion, and the results can amaze even yourself.
Over the years, I’ve honed my skills, and I’m proud to say that I still have four very loyal customers, including myself. Additionally, I often find myself styling hair for an extra one or two more or even three, depending on their moods, during backyard hair cutting sessions.
To make the most of the hair waste, I always have my clients sit on the lawn while I work my magic. Sometimes they gather in our own backyard.
Interestingly, few days ago I witnessed mushrooms sprouting in patches at the corner of where I used to seat them.
I sent photos of these mushrooms to my clients, who happened at the moment texting me to invite me over for another spontaneous gathering.
“Should I bring these mushrooms with me?” I teased.
Their response was a polite silence, but they needn’t worry. There’s even a scientific study published on this topic, which you can read more about here: (https://www.greensaloncollective.com/blogs/education/can-grow-oyster-mushrooms-from-waste-human-hair-we-think-so)".
Now let me turn to my own colon story
One of our closest old friends, one of the healthiest and most agile people we know, was diagnosed with colon cancer a few months ago. This news startled us, prompting everyone to schedule check-ups. My husband underwent his examination and encouraged me to do the same.
Reluctantly, I reached the point where today was the day for the final 24-hour grueling cleanse. I was surprised by the amount of water I had to drink and nothing else. I began the day with my usual routine and a big bowl of yogurt. Then came the confusing, non-stop drinking regimen. I had to set reminders every 30 minutes to drink 8 ounces of water until 6 pm.
Even with reminders, I lost track of time, and 6 pm passed before I began my first dose of the cleansing solution at 7 pm. According to the instructions, I should have felt the need to visit the restroom immediately after the first few doses. However, after five doses, I felt nothing except for a few grumbling sounds from my belly, which left me a bit concerned.
“Is this normal?” I asked my boss, who happened to check in on me after my sudden sick leave request for tomorrow. Originally, I hadn’t intended to broadcast my check-up plans to the world, as my appointment was scheduled for early in the morning, and I expected to be back home before most people came online to contact me. However, the hospital had just completed a 3-day strike, so my doctor emailed me that the timing might be delayed, even though the check-up was still planned for tomorrow.
My boss didn’t reply, a reminder that he hadn’t reached an age where he had to deal with such matters yet. What a stupid question I asked!
With seven out of eight initial doses consumed, I was growing increasingly anxious. I texted my husband, who had just arrived in Hong Kong, asking, “When did you start feeling strange?”
“Oh, that’s not good. You should be feeling the urge to go to the bathroom by now!” he replied.
Finally, I felt the urge and rushed to the restroom. “It should continue until everything that comes out is clear water,” my husband shared his tips.
“But it seems like everything that’s coming out is already clear water,” I replied, feeling bewildered.
Then my ever-optimistic side took over, and I had an “Aha!” moment. “This means that my colon is already clean, as this morning’s regular bowel movement pushed out everything.”
Even across the entire Pacific Ocean, I could hear my husband’s disbelieving sound.
As per the doctor’s instructions, I had to keep drinking clear water until I fell into a deep sleep. However, I needed to wake up at 4 am tomorrow to spend another two hours finishing the remaining half of the liquid.
I thought we had made significant progress in the field of medicine, but why did this procedure feel so outdated, reminiscent of the 19th century?
Regardless, I wished myself good luck for tomorrow.
