Hoof-dressings come to the rescue of soft nails

The world is pink in October, officially designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With one more week to go, nobody has mentioned that horses can play a role in painting nails pink.

Among the victims of some of the magical meds prescribed to keep metastatic breast cancer under control are innocent fingernails. They become ridged and soft; and they split easily or peel if a nail file comes near them.

Thanks to a suggestion from Betty Kolba, a longtime horse enthusiast, who works for Village Handyman in Arlington Heights, I learned about hoof-dressings that keep horse's hooves from cracking and splitting.

"That will work well for nails," she said. "I've used it on my own nails forever."

Paint-on nail strengthener only goes so far. Artificial nails have never been my "thing" -- and I've been told that they eventually soften nails.

Though I've become weary of slathering every sticky substance ever invented onto cuticles and nail beds, I figured one more couldn't hurt. So I happily accepted a sample from Betty.

The pads of fingertips also take from some cancer drugs. They become less sensitive to heat and cold and they lose dexterity -- meaning a dropped earring or pin back can be gone forever, lost to the waiting paws of my agile kitties.

At my regular visit to my oncologist, I mentioned the idea of the horse's hoof "slather." Usually a serious scientist, he grinned and concurred with the suggestion. Now all we have to do is change its color from gold to pink.

The goo is already working well on the finger pads, as well as the nail beds. Unless I shoo them away, my cats usually lick off their favorite creams and potions. They've sniffed the new addition to my nail and fingertip collection but haven't tasted it, yet.

I'm now retrieving the earring and pin backs I lost from beneath cabinets and chairs. I can use them without dropping them; and if my nails get stronger, I'll paint them pink -- or mauve, or champagne, or whatever color strikes my fancy.

While I'm at it, I might just be inclined to paint the town pink, too.