The part in my hair

The part in my hair

By
Joel Streed

June 24, 2009

I wanted to let you know that I am alive and happy. I went through a real state of anger and kept asking, "Why me?" I worried about the aneurysm that was clipped and the other one.

I now find that I am asking, "Why not me?"

Barbara McGrady playing in a chamber orchestra — Barbara McGrady

Hearing back from both Anne and you, Dr. Lanzino, made a huge difference in the turn-a-round of my psyche. Your confidence in your work is very calming and assuring. I am beginning to understand that had it not been for your gift I would probably not be sitting here typing this email to you. Maybe I'd be gone completely or perhaps I would still be here but unable to move my fingers and arms, or worse yet, unable to think... a fate worse than death, to me.

In all earnestness I must say that I somehow seem to be thinking more clearly now than ever before. You must have done quite a bit of untangling.

A physical reflection of my steps forward is the way I have begun parting my hair.

I have always parted my hair on the left side, then sweeping my hair to the right and back. I realized after the dent made its appearance that I should probably begin parting my hair on the right hand side. Sweeping my hair from the right to the left would completely hide the dent. For the past nine months, I have parted my hair on the right (which has completely concealed the dent).

A couple weeks ago I was looking in the mirror in the bathroom and felt both defiant and confident. I parted my hair on the left. The dent showed... and I found myself saying, "So what!"

Thank you, Dr. Lanzino. Thank you for the amazing job you did inside my noggin. Not only did you repair my blow out... you shook something up in there... and now life is more beautiful than I even imagined it might be.

I just wanted to let you know that I am being the best person I can be. And I am so thankful to you for giving me the opportunity to do so.

I wish I could giftwrap the way I now interpret life... wrap it up in a box and offer it to so many others who are bumbling around with no direction. So many others who waste their time complaining about nothing instead of doing all they can to make life an even better place.

I am now able to see another dimension in life. Nature is more exquisite, the birds' songs are more harmonious, and I hug people more often now. I don't care whether they like it or not.

I have saved about 75 animal's lives since my surgery, March 20th, 2008. Animals who were at our local pound and who had an appointment to be euthanized are now alive and happy. I love what I do, even though I am not paid in a monetary way, I am paid. When I look into their eyes (the eyes of the rescued animals who were literally at death's door) I see my own reflection. All life is interconnected in a way we are not yet able to comprehend.

Barbara McGrady
S.P.A.
www.spaohio.org
Fremont, Ohio 43420

Barbara McBrady, who sent the above email to Dr. Lanzino, is now dedicating her life to saving animals working as a volunteer for SPA; her link is included above.