yes, Night Owl, I'd heard that about the cows, too, and the students. Still haven't dug out the article on mom, but briefly, she's had cancer years before, got sick, the docs did every test imaginable, found a tumour behind her bladder, prepared her for surgery. The whole time she was in and out of consciousness. This was before walkmans, so we put a little tape recorder near her head and played Mozart for her, guiding her to focus on it instead of the pain, etc.

The docs sais they'd be at it for 2-3 hours at least when they took her in. we had all, of course, been seeking divine intervention, too, but the music played on as well. My heart almost stopped when the docs came out after 30 minutes. I though for sure she was gone. They were very sheepish and told us kids they found NOTHING. Ther WAS no tumour, whatever they had seen in the myriad of tests was completely gone, they were sorry they'd cut her opne and, most importantly, they couldn't explain it. We are sure that by keeping her conciousness tuned to the music it enabled her to be healed.

When I worked in a nursing home there was a beautiful old woman, red-hair faded to white, braid past her waist, who'd had a stroke and couldn't really speak. It was maddening for her to try to articulate and she was often very angry. I knew she was Irish and at that point I only knew Too-a-loo-ra. It became a ritual, at night, after I got her to bed, for me to stroke her forehead and sing that song to her. It always calmed her and she would go to sleep with her beautiful smile beaing up at me. It still makes me cry to remember how something so simple could effect her in such a positive way. her name was Melcina.

MuscicMan and Don, thank you. I think we'd all love to ehar more of your experiences. And, I know in the case of my dad playing in the rest homes, that it benefits him and literally gives his life purpose, just as much as it does the residents.

katlaughing