Lucy J. Puryear

I was born in Houston, Texas, but grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. I graduated from Towson Hight School and then went to college in Allentown, Pa. I graduated from Muhlenberg College with a degree in theatre and psychology. After spending a year in N.Y.C. sleeping on a friend's sofa and auditioning for plays I decided enough was enough. I moved to Texas to be nearer my family where I studied nursing. I worked in the neonatal intensive care for four years before I went to medical school at Baylor College of Medicine. Because my father is a psychiatrist I thought I'd do anything but that. In fact I had planned on being an Ob-Gyn. But at the last minute I found that I enjoyed treating psychiatric illness and couldn't wait to get to the hospital in mornings. I could imagine myself doing that for a very long time and not getting bored.

I have had an extremely rewarding career and feel blessed to do what I do. Taking care of pregnant women with psychiatric illness and women with postpartum depression is a perfect blend of obsetrics and psychiatry. I have four children that keep me busy in my "free" time, and a wonderful husband who is always by my side. Writing this book is an effort to share more of my knowledge with many more women than I can see in my office. I hope that it is helpful to many women and their families.