“If You Had Half a Brain …”

Have your parents ever told you that? Or your friends? Or maybe even a rude acquaintance? The implication is that even people with half a brain could figure out what they’re trying to get you to understand. You, who has a complete brain.

Of course that was meant as an insult, but it once again turns out to be true.

Many years ago, when she was just 4, Brandi Binder contracted a rare form of epilepsy – Rasmussen’s encephalitis. She had the right hemisphere of her brain removed to counter its effects, even though the prognosis was that she’d have difficulty walking, and that perhaps the left side of her body would be paralyzed.

You know what? The remaining half of her brain compensated for the missing right half, taking over its functions. The 20-something Brandi is doing just fine, thank you.

And then there is Michelle Mack, who is garnering some publicity this week. She was born with just half a brain.

But like Brandi’s, the remaining right brain rewired itself and took over the functions of its missing partner. Michelle, 37, lives with her parents. She still needs some help, but works by doing data entry at home for her church, pays rent, and walks and talks just fine.

The brain truly is an amazing organ. And these two women themselves are amazing .