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Click on picture to see larger whole image	"Sustenance" Julie Cohn, Age 35, El Sobrante, CA. Biographical materials	Picture Details Click on the pictures below to see details of the painting
	Temporary Disability what I used to hold are shadows from a youthful sun the grip of a tight jar lid the twist of a revolving toothbrush the pulling of rope, turning a doorknob inventing guitar chords, cutting fruit days in mourning for the former life a hand drawn in and silent never moving, always knowing never touching, always watching sometimes wondering, can you hear my agony? useful, useless, useful, pained relapse, anger, time, less strain faint images of a child's limber hand slow changes, to lift a cup, a pan a feeble hand now writing steadily a break through the sun's shadow, strength again - Julie Cohn
Watercolor by Julie Cohn This painting, "Sustenance," motivates Julie to continue doing what she can to heal from her hand injury, and to believe that she will steadily heal physically and emotionally. The accompanying text, written by Lydia Gans, represents some of his feelings about his life and disability.
	Click on this picture, right to see detail of the sculpture
The Athlete, Julie Cohn:
For over a year, I have been acclimating to a repetitive stress injury to my left hand. Repeated relapses have set back my recovery. Sometimes this lack of control is extremely frustrating. I needed a graphic image to convince me of my healing, to remind me how much control I can exert through body awareness of good posture, exercise, nutrition, and rest. I now understand my body and its needs in a way I never have before. The root of my existence, as with the broken and mended hand in Sustenance, is nutrition, which the roots of my broken hand absorb and spread to a healed, glowing hand. As I take care of myself and seek the medical care that addresses my condition - acupuncture, physical therapy, deep-tissue body work, and Feldenkreis body relaxation techniques, I heal slowly but surely, understanding that tissues in the hand and wrist area are among the most difficult areas to mend once injured. This painting knows I will one day be completely healed! (Seven years later, much healing has taken place.)