Introduction

I have had a pencil clutched in my hand, writing poems since the first grade, or so I've been told. At the age of ten, I was introduced to the basics of reading music and the keys on a piano by a preacher's wife. By the age of twelve, I was on demand at every church possible in that tiny coal-mining town of Chapmanville.

Accident and Medical History

I suffered severe head trauma due to a bike accident in 1964. I was gliding down a steep mountain roadway in West Virginia when the sprocket chain broke; I hit a car head-on. My long-term memory was blocked along with permanent amnesia of my years prior. The concussion embedded scars on my brain, with seizures that could not be controlled, and that is when the neurology department at UCF Shands Medical University Hospital took over.

Year after year, the doctors tried various treatments and medicines, but to no avail, so the decision for brain surgery on March 1, 1995, was agreed upon.

Surgery and Aftermath

The surgery was successful. Now my long-term memory is open, but I still have absolutely no memory of my life prior to that date, only three spot scenes, as you will find as the beginning to my book, The Unread Chapters.

Reflections

My positive attitude, as shown in my writings, my ability to read and learn, and also my dedication to music have amazed doctors and my husband for decades. I do hope this story will amaze you.