A woman who hasn't cut her nails since 1997 has opened about the challenges she faces.
Earlier this year, Diana Armstrong was accredited by the Guinness World Records for having the longest fingernails on a pair of female hands ever.
They currently measure 1,306.58cm (42ft 10.4in) and there is a very sad reason for why she doesn't cut them.
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Her 16-year-old daughter Latisha tragically died while having an asthma attack while she was sleeping.
The American woman, from Minnesota, was recently asked about the challenges of having enormous nails, Daily Star reports.
She said: “Zipping up my pants or jacket. I can pop open a can of soda but I need a knife. I drove a car but had to stick my hand out the window, so I don’t drive any more.
“And in public restrooms, I need to use the biggest stall – my nails are usually longer than the regular-sized stalls.”
When it comes to maintaining them, she explained: “I haven’t been to a nail salon for about 22 years – they don’t want to deal with them – so my grandchildren take care of them. Each nail takes about 10 hours to file and polish. To file them, I need to use a Dremel woodwork tool.
“I get them done every four to five years, and get through between 15 and 20 bottles of polish. I painted them last week and it took four days.
“If I have to pick up money off the floor, I can pick up bills. But if I drop change on the floor, that will just stay down there.”
The story behind why she stopped cutting her fingernails leads back to a gut-wrenching time in Diana’s life.
While she was out grocery shopping, her youngest daughter called her to frantically explain that Latisha wouldn't wake up.
Diana said: “That was the worst day of my life. The day before, she’d spent time polishing and filling my nails, so after that, I just couldn’t cut my nails off. And I didn’t tell anyone why. Even my kids never knew why, because I kept it to myself for years.
“My nails are a part of me, so I can’t ever imagine cutting them off.”
Latisha used to manicure her mum’s then average sized nails every weekend before she passed away.
Diana’s other daughter, Rania, explained how her and her siblings were initially embarrassed when their mum’s nails began growing out of control.
They pleaded with her to cut them but understood the poignant reasoning once they were told.
Rania said: “When she told us the back story, it kind of changed my feelings towards it. Because just as much as she missed my sister, I missed her too. So, if that’s her way of holding on to her, then I accept."
When Diana was acknowledged by the Guinness World Records earlier this year her emotion was evident and she initially thought it was a joke.
Speaking after receiving the award, she said: "I think she [Latisha] would be proud of me because she’s the last one who did my nails. That’s who I think of when I grow my nails, is my daughter."
The previous record for the longest fingernails on a pair of hands ever was held by America’s Lee Redmond in 2008.
Speaking about the inspirational mum, Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday said: "The story behind her record is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking, and Diana's determination to honour her daughter's legacy in her unique way is inspiring.
"Family means everything for Diana, and she's lucky to have gathered around her a wonderful support network... which is what you need when each of your fingernails is longer than a ski pole."
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