Marie-Lynn Hammond
Accident & Aftermath

WHAT HAPPENED

On August 26, 2006, during an afternoon of riding, Marie-Lynn’s usually quiet horse suddenly and inexplicably began to buck – most likely because of a wasp sting. Marie-Lynn was thrown and knocked unconscious. She sustained five broken ribs, a fractured neck vertebra and multiple breaks to her right collar-bone. Though she wore a helmet, she suffered a concussion, bleeding in the brain and damage to one of the cranial nerves.
As a result her right eye and eyelid were temporarily paralyzed – the eyelid shut and the eyeball frozen in its socket. Doctors told her there was nothing they could do to fix it: nerves had to heal on their own – if they healed at all. And they warned her that if healing did occur, it could take a long time.

So as soon as her bones had healed sufficiently, Marie-Lynn began various alternative treatments such as craniosacral therapy and acupuncture. Shortly after, her right eyelid opened a quarter of the way. Over the next few months, it opened almost completely. This was encouraging, but because the right eye itself was still not moving in sync with the left eye, Marie-Lynn was left with severe double vision.

Around December, Marie-Lynn experienced further improvement: she found that if she kept her head at a certain angle, the double vision would resolve to single vision within a certain narrow range. If she moved her head or eyes at all, though, the double vision returned until she had fixed her gaze on a new spot within that range. Although she still had to wear an eye patch for most activities, she found that she could now read and work at the computer for short periods without one.

THE BENEFIT CONCERT

Meanwhile, her good friend and partner from Stringband, Bob Bossin, had begun to organize a benefit concert for Marie-Lynn.

While Marie-Lynn’s immediate hospital and medical expenses were covered – thank God and Tommy Douglas for universal health care – Ontario Health Insurance doesn’t cover most of the alternative therapy Marie-Lynn continues to use. It also doesn’t cover vision care; she now needs three different pairs of glasses, whose prescriptions have already had to be changed twice. Since she can’t see well enough to drive on major highways and lives north of Toronto, she also has the cost of public transportation to the city for appointments. And she’s had to add railings and make other renovations to her house so that she can live independently and safely.

Meanwhile, she’s not been able to work full-time since the accident. As a freelance editor and proofreader – her day job – her eyesight is crucial. It’s not clear at this time when, or even whether, she’ll be able to resume full-time work, since one-eyed proofreaders aren’t much in demand.

The concert, slated for Hugh’s Room January 28, 2007, sold out in 10 days. A second evening was added; it too quickly sold out. Meanwhile the benefit organizers added a silent auction and arranged an online method for supporters to contribute even if they couldn’t attend the benefit.

The two evenings had slightly different lineups and both were fabulous. The music ranged from virtuosic to hilarious to glorious. Cardboard eye patches were distributed so audience members could stumble about and empathize with Marie-Lynn. When the dust had settled, about $20,000 [???] had been raised, and donations continued to trickle in during the ensuing weeks.

THE BENEFIT CONCERT PERFORMERS & SPEAKERS

Batsheva, Joan Besen, Bob Bossin, Madelyn Bossin, Al Cross, Aaron Davis, Jane Fair, Mike Ford, Jian Ghomeshi, Peter Froehlich, Marianne Girard, Eve Goldberg, Jacqueline Hammond, Bob Johnston, Connie Kaldor, Terry King, Tom Leighton, Marilyn Lerner, Stuart McLean, Dennis Nichol, Ron Nigrini, Garnet Rogers, Don Ross, Rick Salutin, John Sheard, Allan Soberman, Stringband, Sylvia Tyson, Nancy White, Chris Whiteley, David Woodhead

THE BENEFIT COMMITTEE

Bob Bossin singer, songwriter, activist, environmentalist and Marie-Lynn’s partner in Stringband since 1973
Jacqueline Hammond sister and force of nature
Joanne Harrop long-time friend
Murray McGregor long-time friend, editor and writer
Carol Noel long-time friend, graphic artist
Howard Kaplan long-time friend, Canada’s most prolific composer of frog-related songs
Richard Hess audio engineer, tape restorer – Richard released four CDs of Marie-Lynn’s music on his label and is also the person behind Marie-Lynn’s web presence
And many other friends, too numerous to mention!

THE CURRENT SITUATION (May 2007)

Unfortunately, there has been only a slight improvement since December in Marie-Lynn’s vision. The double vision remains, especially when she looks up or to the left. In February, she began to see a vision therapist, who has been giving her exercises to strengthen the muscles affected by the nerve damage, and strategies to cope with the double vision.
As a result, some things are becoming easier. Marie Lynn can now get around her own home without an eye patch. Outside, though, or in places with a lot of visual stimulation (supermarkets, shopping malls, etc.), she usually needs the patch, unless she stands stock still and stares at a fixed spot – something that tends to happen, she says, only if she spies a horse or Belgian chocolate on sale.

Apart from the vision problems, she’s still dealing with the general aftermath of a brain injury, including fatigue, balance problems, insomnia and depression. Her doctors keep reminding her that it can take at least a year or more to get over this kind of trauma.

BACK IN THE SADDLE!

The best news (from Marie Lynn’s point of view; some of her family and friends are horrified) is that she’s just started riding again once a week in a riding-for-the-disabled program. Marie-Lynn says she can’t live without horses, and sadly, she sold her horse in November because she had no idea what the future held for her, and she couldn’t afford to keep paying his boarding fees, etc. Her therapeutic-riding coaches have had many clients with brain injuries, and say that in most cases clients see tangible benefits from the riding. Marie-Lynn says she’ll be happy if all she experiences are the endorphins she gets from being around these gorgeous creatures.

Marie-Lynn’s Thank-You in the Benefit Programme

“Oh no it’s a benefit, not another benefit, and when are they gonna benefit me?”
– M.-L.Hammond, “Not Another Benefit”

"Be careful what you wish for, it might come true." – Anonymous

I always knew folkies and their fans were a good bunch, but your response to my plight has been overwhelming. So much so that, as a recovering Catholic, I’m battling feelings of epic unworthiness and an urge to refuse your generosity so I can suffer more and longer. Luckily, my longtime musical partner and the prime mover behind these extraordinary evenings, Bob Bossin, keeps reminding me that you wouldn’t be helping if you didn’t want to.

My deepest gratitude to all the committee members, musicians, sponsors, auction donors and others too numerous to list who lent a hand. And especially to my sister, Jacq. She was a rock while I was in hospital, then took me in and cared for me for two months, even allowing me to bring four cats into her pristine home and tofu into her gourmet kitchen. (She’s recovered from the cats, but the tofu may take longer.)

To all of you here tonight—my eternal, heartfelt thanks!

In the 1980s, Marie-Lynn wrote "Not Another Benefit," a satirical (but true-to-her-own-life) song about underemployed musicians always being available to play a benefit concert for some worthy cause. As a verse in the song goes...

I've played for day care, pro-choice, Greenpeace, world peace,
labour causes, unfair laws and Latin American solidarity;
I've stopped Spadina, failed to stop the Cruise,
I've saved the whales and wolves,
I've tried to save the NDP.

Click here for the complete lyrics     Listen to the song

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