"Singing Simon and Garfunkel’s 'America' to heal my brain 🧠 In 2017, I sustained a brain injury caused by never treated Lyme disease."

"My first symptom was a psychosis that would make me see horrific images nonstop 24 hours a day for 22 months.... About six or seven months into the psychosis I lost all control of the muscles in my body including the muscles in my face. I lost my ability to speak.... By then it was too late to treat the Lyme disease; it was all about strengthening my brain and getting my ability back. Two years ago, after progressing from wheelchair, to walker, to cane, back to my feet I was still struggling with my speech when I intuited that playing the ukulele could help by doing multiple things at the same time as a regular practice...."

@amystaceycurtis Singing Simon and Garfunkel’s “America” to heal my brain 🧠 In 2017, I sustained a brain injury caused by never treated Lyme disease. My first symptom was a psychosis that would make me see horrific images nonstop 24 hours a day for 22 months. The psychosis could only be slowed with 16 treatments of electroconvulsive therapy. Then it took two more years for this psychosis to completely go away. About six or seven months into the psychosis I lost all control of the muscles in my body including the muscles in my face. I lost my ability to speak, stricken with a severe palsy and sometimes complete nonverbalism, as if the cord between my brain and my mouth had been cut. After 15 months of schizophrenia-diagnosing doctors, two psychiatric wards, and eight antipsychotic drugs, it was finally determined by a naturopath that I had had Lyme disease some time in my past and that hit it had attacked my brain. By then it was too late to treat the Lyme disease; it was all about strengthening my brain and getting my ability back. Two years ago, after progressing from wheelchair, to walker, to cane, back to my feet I was still struggling with my speech when I intuited that playing the ukulele could help by doing multiple things at the same time as a regular practice. Within a week of playing the ukulele I was capable of perfect-for-me speech unless overstimulated. I practice an hour every day as a self-prescribed occupational therapy. Over the past two years, my speech has steadily improved even when palseyed. Thank you so much for your continued support TikTok people. #braininjurysurvivor #fyp #lymedisease #musictherapy #occupationaltherapy #speechtherapy #ukuleletiktok #musiciansoftiktok #coversongs #neuroplasticity #ukulelecover #takingbackmylife #singer #lewistonmaine #simonandgarfunkel #bedhead ♬ original sound - Amy Stacey Curtis