Until the Cows Come Home

Until the Cows Come Home is an inspiring account of a life that most of us will never have to experience firsthand. Perhaps this is our loss. Considering the many roadblocks that have been thrown in his path, J.T. Blakemore's highest achievement may be that he is one of the most positive, enthusiastic men you will ever meet. At first glance J.T. seems like an average guy who loves his family, occasionally does volunteer work, and knows the value of a good education. He is a religious man, a homeowner, loves to write, and is a consummate story teller. But his experiences, starting with his years in an orphanage, have been far from average. We have all known adversity. What sets J.T. apart from the rest of us is a warm summer night in 1963 and an ill-advised ride in a '59 Hot Rod Chevy. He regained consciousness 28 days later. He was twenty-one years old. "You might say I threw my life away for a dozen cans of beer. My bell was rung really well, and I've had one gigantic hangover ever since. The prognosis was simple: brain damage. The effects were not so simple. Not by a long shot." Before this, his biggest problem had been a knee injury that was interfering with his dreams of major league baseball and an extended military career. That soon became the least of his worries. Instead, his sole focus became beating the odds--learning to walk, talk, see, and recover some semblance of his former life. "I had to learn how to do everything all over again. Buttons were one big pain in the butt. Shoelaces were out of the question. I'm sure that if loafers had not already been in existence I would have invented them. My mind was willing to do anything I had to do, but I seemed to be in some strange disconnect mode most of the time. "Damage to my big USMC pride would be an ongoing occurrence. When it comes to landing on one's butt, for example, I have a great deal of insight. On more than one occasion I have found myself, without any apparent reason, sitting squarely on my posterior. But I have learned two positive things about falling. First: getting back on my feet has become easier with every fall I have experienced. Second: living with embarrassment won't kill you." In spite of J.T.'s never-ending recovery from his traumatic brain injury and later setbacks, including four types of cancer (one of which required the removal of a "not-so-small piece" of his "favorite shoulder"), J.T. refused to give up on life. Closing one eye while reading textbooks in order to compensate for his double vision, he went on to earn several college degrees. He also met and married his wife and raised two children. J.T. strongly believes that education and faith are the keys to overcoming all adversity. His belief in "patient, prayerful, persistent perseverance" and an unflappable faith in God have served him well during his unusual journey. "I have had to learn to accept the fact that everything is constantly changing, and, in many cases, remains different and