But Hildegard had a completely different idea than our mechanical model of the body. The idea was that the body is like a plant and that the doctor is a gardener of the plant — this, as opposed to the idea of the body as a machine and the doctor as a mechanic. The fundamental difference is that someone has to fix the broken machine, but a plant can heal itself. And that healing power of the plant is what Hildegard called it its ‘greening power.’ She thought that human beings had the same kind of innate healing power and that, therefore, the doctor was more of a gardener whose purpose is to cultivate that healing power — to nurture it, remove obstructions to it and fortify it.

I was brought back to the story from The Brain That Changes Itself and how Paul Bach-y-Rita stayed with his father after his father’s stroke. He helped him to rehabilitate and learn well, basically everything again. How to walk from crawling. Have you ever met a doctor who seemed like they had that time? Let alone to follow up on that weird thing on your back? I believe that they exist and this interview (and sounds like, book!) supports that theory.

Anyway, that paragraph echoed the beauty I felt when I first read about Neuroplasticity. Bodies knowing how to heal themselves, but needing time, space, and help to do it. We are awesome! Brains are awesome!!! Onward!

No surprise. I love Oliver Sacks. Here is an interview with him about his book “The Mind’s Eye” and more, from Stanford. http://med.stanford.edu/121/2012/sacks.html

In the interview he says something about Neuroplasticity and using what you have, that I really want to keep with me. Neuroplasticity is not just about neurogenesis, right? It is also working with what you’ve already got to create new paths. I think that is part of the beauty of Neuroplasticity. To change yourself and your internal connections because you have to to survive. Not just that new happens but what you do with it. How you incorporate new with the rest of the old you. ITS A BIG DEAL!!! You can SEE through your TONGUE. You can READ with your TONGUE

Just doing crossword puzzles is not a cure for Alzheimer’s! Maybe no one is saying that, and I’m really just mad about what a crappy job I had at Marbles! Anyway, just wanted to get that out. Feel free to comment please! Just don’t be a jerk. I’ve already said I don’t know what I’m talking about.