@mimi I just thought those who knew of her story would like to see her - if not in person - at least on video.

Thanks, Mimi.

development after having been damaged by the chemotherapy she once was treated with. It's something we all need to know about and share among us. I am glad you gave us all the links and a repost of your original post here at C99p, which didn't sink into my conscience back then. I don't remember if I read it or not. I feel ashamed about it now.

Often I feel I don't understand well the health problems some of the frequent commenting participants on C99p suffer under. Any clear explanations of their conditions help us to be compassionate and friendly listeners. It helps us all as a community.

Thank You. Your wife's performance on the piano is miraculous understanding the background story behind it. My sincere respect and kudos to your wife and yourself. May she have many more happy dances and musical highs in her life.

@Mark from Queens Hope all is well with you, your wife and baby. Rachel and I still have fond (if soggy) memories of our meeting in Philly.

And yes, people are quick to make light of the arts and arts education, but I feel more and more is it essential for our society. These therapies have done more for her than any medication given to alleviate her "symptoms." They actually provide benefits to help the brain mend broken neural networks and make new connections. No dangerous or possibly fatal side effects either.

Great story of Clara's perseverance and focus, and the power of the arts. Very inspiring! Thrilled also to see an institution dedicated to such healing. That to me is a very encouraging sign in society, the kind of thinking and direction we should be exploring more of.

Please let her know that, having met you and your lovely daughter, we now see an even clearer picture of what we love about you.

I'm sure you've seen this but it's another testament to the deep healing power of music, which I think still remains largely unharnessed by the medical industry. Because as the brilliant and inimitable Chris Rock said about the medical and pharmaceutical industries, "they're not going to cure anything. Why? Because the money's in the medicine...Sick people coming back over and over again for more."

@PriceRip One thing the TV piece did not tell is that Clara is working with a graduate student to write a book detailing her case, and explaining how all the various approaches employed by Hochstein with Clara, from traditional music therapy, dance and re-learning to play the piano, have worked to develop new pathways in her brain to regain cognitive functionality. The hope is that it will provide a model for one alternative approach to helping patients who suffer from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury.)

The other goal of such a book would, of course, be to show people with TBI that their situation need not be hopeless. As you may know, many TBI folks suffer from depression, and the rate of suicide is very high among that population. Anything that can be done to show them that they can still lead a meaningful life and that their injury is not necessarily irreversible and irreparable could be beneficial. So, I hope that the book someday becomes a reality.

          Is per the cliches "Life is a journey not a destination" (Ralph Waldo Emerson) or "Man plans and God laughs" (Yiddish proverb): I am continually amazed by how we survive and sometimes even thrive in this chaos we call Life. Of course, I suddenly think of Douglas Adams, "Life! Don't talk to me about life."

          We need more "Someone You Should Know." and a lot less of the other stuff on main stream media. In some ways I miss the old days of local programing before the medium became big business.

          Clara is a real treasure. Thanks for sharing.