10 Reasons to Join Actor's Launchpad (other than to be #trendy).

Post-tour-unemployed-life got me lost in the wilderness, just floating like ...

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After coming back from the tour of Hair, after traveling the world and living my natural born life, I came back to New York feeling them post-tour-blues.

Where do I go from here?
How do I propel my career to the next level? 
How do I network better?!

 I needed some advice about the business. So I phoned Tom.

Some may call it their Fairy Godmother, I like to view him as the Dumbledore to my Harry Potter fantasy life: Tom Lapke. 

Tom, is the creator of Audition Update, (yeah, the Tom Lapke you get those clever E-mails from). He is my dear amigo within the theatre industry; a pioneer for helping the careers of many actors. After explaining to him my predicament, Tom introduced me to his brand new company:

Actor's Launchpad. 

In three weeks, I have ordered the cutest business cards (ON DISCOUNT, BOO), taken two on-camera classes with two HUGE television casting directors, had a free movie night with many other kids in the biz, and have more benefits coming that I can even count with ALP.

Because I'm #obsessed with how much this has helped my career, I decided to shamelessly promote this to all of my friends.



10 REASONS TO JOIN ACTOR'S LAUNCHPAD:



1. IT'S CHEAP AF.

It's 10 dollars a month. You better skip that Juice Gen of the day, those two iced lattes, or half an entree from Blockheads, and join this thing. Invest your money into something that will ultimately pay you back, tenfold.


2. Hella discounts.

YOU SAVE MONEY ON ALL THINGS ACTOR. 30% off business cards, discounts on the best photographers for new headshots, and even a discount on Mark Fisher Fitness. Extreme couponing. MO BETTA FO YOU.



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3. Better, intimate classes that AREN'T A WASTE OF TIME (or money.)

I HATE TAKING CLASSES. I really do. Mostly because they're so expensive and a gamble. I hate knowing that I am spending at least $100 on maybe 10 minutes with a Casting Director or Agent. With a membership, you get a discount on these classes. AND the class environment is suuuuuuper chill, comfortable. And you get this fancy complimentary stuff:

FANCY! 

4. TAPING. TUESDAYS.




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My favorite perk of ALP. Every Tuesday, you can sign up to use top of the line camera equipment to film sides, auditions, or pretty much whatever you want. Make your audition look like #netflixepisodic status. 

There's a crew member there to help tape, and they can cut material to send to you. FREE WITH MEMBERSHIP, SON. 



5. Why wouldn't you join after seeing Emails like this:

6. I'm doing it.



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7. FREE MOVIE NIGHTS. With free alcohol and popcorn.



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Every few weeks, Tom sets up free movie night where you can gather with a bunch of other broke AF actors to mingle, drink, and complain about the business together! Yay! FREE ALCOHOL! 


8. Actor. Friendly.

No bullshit. Straight forward. This is a resource to help you figure your shit OUT as an actor. Their website is soy cute, simple and will guide you.

Here, look: 

www.actorslaunchpad.com


9. Tom Lapke is BOSS.

BOOM!! (That's Tom.)

10. IT'S FREE.




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That's right, boo. 

I can give you that friend discount, since you made it through my blog! I'm going to hook you up with one month for free, so that you can try it out for yourself! Why? How? WHO GIVES A FUCK! Just contact me. 

**If this interests you, comment, message me on Facebook, Instagram or E-mail me through this blog, and IMA HOOK YOU UP. 




Basically, ALP got me feeling' like - 




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The Hair Blog Part 1 - Alopecia

As a personal project for the month of May, I am writing a 3-part-blog about Hair. 

I'll be writing updates on my hair loss disease, what life is like on the road with Hair das Musical, and lastly what it's like to have Alopecia whilst performing in the musical....Hair.

#irony #chaptersformyfuturebook 

MY ALOPECIA:

GROWTH! GROWTH! GROWTH! 

For the past four months, I have experienced a significant amount of growth. That's right! Hooray!

Milestones include:

- a full pony tail

- pigtails 

- blowdrying on a regular basis

- hair tickling my neck (squee!) 

Here are some pictures of my progress: 


Today: 

10 Months ago:

More growth: 

Alopecia is for life. There is no cure. No magic spells.

With this in mind, I understand that my growth could very well be temporary. That's just something I have to accept. My hair is now longer than a pixie cut and I'm beginning to find parts of my femininity again. It's incredible to feel warmth on my scalp again; to have something to shampoo. Oftentimes, I even forget I have Alopecia. There are days that feel normal again, well, as normal as can be while traveling in a hippie tribe around Europe. But still. More normal than before.

There are still some sucky parts. With growth, comes loss. 

There still is one bald spot on my head that hasn't grown in since I was first diagnosed. Luckily, the other parts of my hair has grown long enough to cover this spot without notice. I'm no longer embarrassed by this spot, which is a big step.

Every morning when I wake up, every time I shower and every show when I take off my wig, a small amount of hair sheds.

Some days, I simply toss them into the trash as part of my routine. Some days, I stare and count the strands I've lost. There's always a pinch in my throat as I stare at them -- my breath shortens and my chest feels tighter. My brain becomes puzzled again as to why this happened to me. How could my body abandon me like this? And why me? I could question it day and night, but I realize that won't stop me from having this disease for the rest of my life.

A few have asked about the regiment I've been doing; whether I'm still gluten-free or if I think the regrowth is a direct result from my PRP treatment. 

A few answers: 

- I am no longer gluten-free. Traveling around Europe would be a nightmare if I optioned gluten out of my diet. I am surrounded by bakeries, fresh baked rolls for breakfast, if you are familiar with #tourlife, you understand the insurmountable problem of finding any kind of food.

- I do believe the PRP has contributed to some of my hair growth. Because I do have the bald spot still, it's tough to gauge. I'm led to believe that the treatment worked because this is the longest my hair as been in two years. So, I have Dr. Bauman to thank for that.

- Yoga, journaling and letting go. I journal as much as I can, practice yoga when possible and I let go. Letting go of anger, sadness and the need to be in control. This has led to happiness which in turn, I believe has helped my hair grow back.

- I use two different shampoos and a medical concentration prescribed by Dr. Bauman. (Pictured below). The T-Gel can be found at any CVS. I have been trying out the Numis Med that I found at a German Apotheke and have found that my scalp is less itchy.

My regiment.

Talking about Alopecia to other people has gotten much easier as well. Could it be because I have hair now? Maybe. Sometimes I wonder if my newfound strength comes from my new appearance or if time has helped build me up. I'm not quite sure yet. I'm going to be on this journey for quite some time. I could be bald tomorrow, actually.



I do know that I have a wonderful job performing. I'm traveling the world. I have a soulmate who loves me no matter the hair count on my head. 

Another cool, eye-opening #Oprah moment is learning over and over again that I have control over my perspective. Always. For now, I choose to cherish the gift of growth. It excites me. It makes me giddy. I choose to embrace this stage of my life and will cope when the next season comes. My hair does not define me, but damn does it feel good to have again. Even for a day. 

For those who have followed me alongside this journey, thank you. Whether you are one of my closest friends or someone simply catching a glimpse through my blog/vlogs, I really appreciate the support. 




Plus, now I have the raddest headband collection. Ever.



Hair today, gone tomorrow. Please, stay tuned for blog two - Hair das Musical. 

The Day of: My PRP Treatment

Yesterday, I received the most advanced technologies for medical hair treatment that exists. Dr. Bauman Medical Group facility is the biggest Hair Restoration facility under one roof in the world. 

And I got the golden ticket.

 Dr. Alan Bauman and I have been in contact since I was first diagnosed with Alopecia and wrote my first blog. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackie-nguyen/my-hair-loss-and-depression-alopecia-areata_b_5846486.html)

 We wrote a few times, but I was never able to fly out to his offices located in Boca Raton, Florida because being a broke actor in New York, meant no money for flights or treatment. However, currently I am touring with the National Broadway Tour of Dr. Seuss' "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" and our last city just happened to be Ft. Lauderdale, only 20 minutes from Dr. Bauman.


The stars aligned. It was time to visit the Hair God. My Oprah moment arrived.

After contemplating my various options of treatment, I decided to go with what is known as Platelet Rich Plasma Treatment, better known as PRP. 

This procedure is where they extract my own blood, separate the platelets and plasma from the red blood cells, then add a stem cell called Extracellular Matrix or ECM (like ACell or BioD). Once this fusion is done, they inject the blood back into my scalp, in hopes of releasing powerful molecules which have profound biologic effects on hair follicles and skin. This procedure is similar to what they do for burned victims and post-hair restoration surgeries. Wait, my own blood and stem cells?! 

Talk about advanced technology, people. Let me walk you through my amazing day of treatment!


I have arrived at Bauman Medical!

 Walking into Dr. Bauman's facility was like I had gone to Hair Heaven. Rooms upon rooms of the most advanced technologies, beautiful consultation rooms with Florida Palm trees in view of the windows, bright open space, a medical hair salon wing, a photography room set up for before/after pictures, complimentary food, sparkling water, relaxing music, I could go on forever!



But like, GORGEOUS.

HAIR CHECK ROOM! Ugh...the most beautiful.



Getting proper measurements of the thickness of my hair to track regrowth.



Photos being taken of certain areas of baldness.

Meeting with Dr. Bauman, discussing the procedure and my Alopecia.

Discussing #hairgoals.




Fifteen minutes of Laser Therapy! What kinda Star Wars machine....

This is my wonderful friend, Hillary. She accompanied me to get my treatment and held my hand the entire time. Dr. Bauman's office had massage chairs for patients and their friends and family! SCORE! What luxury!



  Getting my head massaged and my follicles sanitized properly for the procedure! 

 






Obsessed with thumbs up. So far, so good!  

  Time for drawing some blood! The staff was incredibly kind and hilarious!

This was the only painful part of the procedure. The staff is injecting anesthesia into the scalp in preparation for treatment. It does feel like bee stings, but the minute it's done, you feel nothing! The staff made sure I had water, paid careful attention to my needs, and gave me comforting words every step of the way.

The pain finally faded away. :)



Anesthesia, selfie!  (The redness and swelling is a natural part of the procedure. Sorry if this is graphic to anyone! I just wanted to make sure I shared the entire experience. As you can tell, I'm living my life.)

Procedure has begun! This process took about 10 minutes.




WE DID IT! Thanks Doctor Hair God!



 This treatment was done in hopes of seeing some results in the next 3-6 months. For many of Dr. Bauman's patients (with Alopecia), they have seen a success rate of 80%. However, like many of us with Auto-immune diseases, we understand that there are never guarantees. I could lose all of my hair tomorrow, just because my body decides to attack itself again. Or, this treatment could totally work and I'll have a ponytail next year! The journey of someone with Alopecia is ongoing. My personal journey has only begun. As an actor, not having hair has been a difficult hurdle to jump, no doubt. I have tried everything under the sun. But I have hope.


Over the moon for Dr. Bauman and his procedure.

 What I gained from my treatment yesterday was not only knowledge of a technique that has not gained as much notoriety as it should, but also the love and compassion of a team that cares. This was an option unavailable to me a year ago, and now as I sit in recovery, I am full of gratitude. 

I wasn't even aware PRP could be available to me until Dr. Bauman and I began our correspondence. Yesterday, I witnessed a man fulfilling his purpose. Because I am an Oprah die-hard fanatic, this is a lesson I've taken from her. Witnessing someone fulfill their purpose is to witness God's work. And damn straight, I saw that. 

Dr. Bauman is undeniably passionate about his job. From cancer patients, to burned victims, to typical male patterned baldness, Dr. Bauman caters his knowledge and expertise to each individual battling with their hair loss. He knows hair, he loves hair, and he wants to make sure his patients are cared for. Hair God. I could not have been more honored to receive treatment.

 Learn more about Dr. Bauman and his amazing work here: http://baumanmedical.com

The next several months will be followed up by Skype calls, measurements and the tiny handful of hope that Dr. Bauman gifted me with yesterday. I am excited for the future and hope to continue to spread awareness of PRP and of Alopecia to many one blog at a time.

One last step...for now.

September 2014 (One week after diagnosed)

My journey of Alopecia has been (and always will be) never-ending. It was last September of 2014, where I lost every strand of my hair on my head. I gained a wide-spread community of support, began writing for the Huffington Post, and began to document my path of this autoimmune disease.

Last year, it seemed as if my diagnosis of Alopecia was a #trend. My blogs gained followers, I got pen pals, and even friends that I haven't talked to since high school reached out. A few daytime TV shows tried to "pitch my story" but came to the conclusion that because there was "no clear resolution" the spread of awareness was not as adamant as other diseases. Lord, I kid you not. No clear resolutions? Well, story of my fucking life and the other 6 million people with Alopecia. 

Since then, I have tried many things in attempt to grow my hair back. Biotin, sunlight, no hats, shaving my scalp over and over, Rogaine, prescription topical treatments, Laser Cap Therapy, Acupuncture, Gluten-free diets and T-Sal Shampoos, special herbs/teas, and yoga. Eventually, I stopped caring. It was weird seeing my bald head in the mirror but whatever, that was who I was. I stopped all remedies except keeping my gluten-free diet. An Herb specialist I started seeing told me to stick it out for at least 3-5 months, just to help clear out my gut. Soon, I saw some regrowth over the last few months, but with regrowth comes lots, and lots, and lots of shedding.

I couldn't tell you what was worse: losing my hair the first time or getting excited that my hair grew back just to have it fall out again. 

Progress of my regrowth:

Within the last two months, my hair growth has been significant. I was able to blow dry my hair for the first time in September. Hooray! On tour, I bought a cheap straightener from Walmart just to try before any more of my hair could fall out again. Wahoo! I could hide my bald spots with a headband and no one would even know I was ever bald. Those milestones were undeniably gratifying. Just to feel "normal" for a little bit. My hair did grow, but my Alopecia stays with me forever.

Sometimes my hair will fall out onto my shoulders, and I'll sneak away to the bathroom to brush it off. Other times, I'll find hair falling out into my coffee cup when I look down, or my scalp will itch extremely bad (because of the shedding) underneath my wig during my show on tour. Reintroducing shampoo into my routine was super fun, until the soapy suds were clouded with hair. Shitty.

Tomorrow, I embark on one last step that I have been wrestling with for a year. 

It is one of the last treatments I can undergo that could give my hair a fighting chance at regrowth. Why have I waited this long? A year ago, a doctor by the name of Dr. Alan Bauman wrote in response to one of my blogs. He offered to give me a consultation and possible treatment if I were willing and in the Boca Raton/Ft. Lauderdale area. 

Of course, being in New York, I tried to see specialists locally in the city but found out that there was a 2-year waiting list to be seen by the top hair specialists in the country. I gave up on the concept of higher-level treatment not only because of the availability but also cost. Somehow, the stars aligned and it just so happens that the National Tour of How The Grinch Stole Christmas was going to spend the next two weeks in Ft. Lauderdale. So I wrote Dr. Bauman an E-mail.

He remembered me. We set up a few appointments for consultation. We chatted on the phone and had a half hour discussion on the phone about my options. Tomorrow, thanks to the wonderful donation of over $3,500 from Dr. Bauman's office, I am able to afford a treatment I have been wanting for a year. I will be doing PRP Platelet Rich Plasma plus BioD Amniotic Stem Cell ECM (Extracellular Matrix)Hair Regrowth treatment. 

In the next series of blogs that I will publish, I am going to walk you through my treatment, my (fingers crossed) regrowth, the physical and emotional journey and my on-going relationship with Dr. Bauman and his Medical Group facility. Unfortunately with Alopecia, there are no guarantees. However, I am prepared for that. If this doesn't work, I have tried everything I could and that is okay. Still...it's all so exciting, terrifying and new. I can't wait to share my new adventure with you all. Cross your fingers for me. 

Update on my Alopecia.

The following post will contain the first names of many of my friends, family and acquaintances. In no way shape or form will any personal information be distributed. Please do not be offended if I have mentioned you. In fact, let's be real, you kinda like it. 

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So much can change in a year. I decided to take a personal inventory day for myself to check in. You know, see what's up with yourself.  It is my belief that I have morphed into what I believe is a better, healthier version of who I was 365 days ago. Although the journey is continuous, with many obstacles to come, who I am now is who I have always strived to be.

Here's a brief update on my Alopecia.

Yes. I am alive and well, and so is my Alopecia.

It's been 4 months and a week since I was diagnosed. 

3 months and a week since I shaved my head. 

2 months of topical treatment. 

50% growth of my hair on my scalp. 

The places on my scalp that have growth is essentially where my hair did not fall out. The spots on my head in which are affected show no real signs of growth. Bummer, for sure. 

However, I still have hope for growth. Maybe in 6 months or a year. 

Also, I no longer wear any of my wigs. 

First of all, BECAUSE THEY SUCK! 

God, they itch so bad.

They make my head so uncomfortable. 

I get migraines from them. 

Ugh, and maintaining them? Lord Almighty. I literally can't with brushing another wig. 

Maybe I have shitty wigs.

But mostly, it was not helping my self-esteem -  whatsoever. Wearing a wig would make me "feel normal" for a day, but the minute I would take it off, it would make me even more sad. The realization that my actual old "look" was temporary nearly killed me. I didn't like it. Wigs work for some people, and I encourage to use them when necessary. With practicing wearing them in the past three months, I've learned it's not for me. Personally, it was better to walk around as my genuine self with the possibility of getting stared at, versus blending in with everyone, knowing I wasn't being my true self.  

Although there has been no physical growth, what I have learned in the past few months have been very helpful to the process. I've gained a lot of spiritual growth, if you will. Yayyyyy. :)

A very loving (and Grinchy) friend recently told me,

"Thank those who have given you gifts of laughter, love and even pain. Write it down. Thank them. Because they shape who you are and who you will become. Recognize their gift and power."

A wise man, Stefan is.

Andrew.

Lisa, Shae, Ali, Lauren, Sabrina.

Seth + Jenavene, 

Stefan. Coglan. 

Eric, Vince, Nicole, Jayson, Hilary, Hannah, Aaron.

Joey. 

Melinda.

Nate. 

Those names I just listed may be somewhat recognizable to you, they are you, or they may remain completely irrelevant; however those people I listed, started a domino effect of implementing change into my life. And I mean big, big, change. In no particular order, and in whatever fashion they changed me, the point is -- people can help, people do help. 




Thank you guys. Thank you for being there for me when I needed to change, wake up, or realize. Thank you for teaching me lessons. Thank you for holding my hand, for texting me, for telling me to get over it, or that being in this situation sucked really bad. Because sometimes, that's all I needed. Thank you for being incredibly courageous and for giving me reasons to continue to find happiness.



My goal for 2014 was to live and to thrive whilst doing so. I didn't want to worry about work, money, love, or career. What I wanted to was to live organically in the moment and take any opportunity that would come my way. What I gained from that was a year chock full of experiences. I no longer want that to be a mantra for 2014, but for my entire life. It is now no secret that I have Alopecia. What started off as a blog for my friends, continued and blossom into a new chapter of my life I had no idea was being written for me. There have been hours and hours and hours of prayer in hopes of finding a cure, an answer, or even for patience. Will this go away? Will I find solace? Will I live with this forever?  I don't know. I still don't know. And it's beginning to not matter.


What I do know, is that ironically, I'm the happiest I've ever been in a really long time. I am living truthfully, in the moment, without any masks, guard, or barriers. My heart was full on tour, as Whoville tends to provide an overflow of joy. And, consider me the luckiest girl in the world, but I have found the love of my life. There are good things coming my way this year already...exciting and new. I also welcome the bad and the challenges. Either way, I am looking forward to sharing them with you.



x

Jackie