My first cousin Patsy is much smarter, younger and better looking than tha me.  She is also my inspiration.You see we share some common experiences besides being cousins. We are both one of ten children born to Irish Catholic family's in Buffalo, New York. Plus we are both stroke survivors. She also has the exact same name as my recent dearly departed mother before my mother was married,. Patricia Eileen Smith.

Patsy's  stroke came first, in July 2004. Mine was two years later in Oct. 06.  Unfortunately for Patsy it was hours after her stroke before she received treatment at a local hospital. Her brain was swollen so bad that the doctors performed a Craniectomy on her which involved the temporary relocation of the skull to the fatty part of the abdomen- in this case for six months.
They also removed about one third of her brain.
Her survival was and is instrumental to my continued healing.

if she could come back from that experience, I could certainly survive a little blood on the brain.
She is now back to doing the thing that she loves, writing. Her story was prominently featured on a two page spread of Stroke Connection Magazine in the Nov./Dec. 08 edition.

Patsy will tell you that her strong faith in God and the love and support of her family is what guided her through those dark times.
The same is true for myself only i also had her support plus the prayers from both family's to help me through.

I am attaching a short poem that she had just sent me. I am looking forward to reading and publishing many more works from Patsy Smith on my website here
                                                                   

Now

 

Battered but not broken

bruised not yet beaten

angry fate take another swing

crooked

 

straighten the frame

please level this art work

beat fate at its own game

just begin from within

no longer maimed