Then I watched Raychel's rosy cheeks slowly turn to white and her nails turn blue and it was over.
Though Pellegrino cut her nails that night, plenty more amateurish blunders followed.
"We are trying to have a normal life, to live like we usually do, " said Rama Handi as an Aloe Vero manicurist lacquered her nails red.
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Now and then she would raise herself into a sitting position and then spend a long time with her knees drawn up while she painted her nails or, with a small hand mirror, scrutinized herself for blemishes or unwanted hair.
First, her trademark nails: six-inch, curled, rather frightening extensions that she painted bright fuchsia or in appropriately patriotic red-white-and-blue patterns.
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The family said these were removed after a few days, but when they next visited there was a nil-by-mouth sign above her bed and they also found faeces under her finger nails.
Then came a burning pain under the nails of her fingers and toes.
But talking to my mom every day for the past couple weeks made me realize her tough-as-nails exterior hides a real ache for my brother, about to leave yet again.
Even Martha Stewart got behind the trend last month, when she invited "nail queen" Sophy Robson, one of the UK's best known artists, on her show to create pink nails adorned with gold bows and studs.
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Godwin's daughter, Barbara Ford, described her father as "hard as nails" but also said that he was really "a big softie".
It was duly swapped for a small plastic chair that looked hard and uncomfortable, but was more to her liking, taking to it like a fakir to a bed of nails.
His grandmother, Sheila Harris, fortunately was a tough-as-nails 49-year-old and a worthy combatant, hell-bent on her grandson getting out of the projects.
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