Mary Tumosa-Lawler, who was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome in 1997, has experimented with the approaches in her book to help cure her own disorder.� She's been a vegetarian for over 30 years, and has taught vegetarian and healthy cooking classes at her local community college.� She loves to create new recipes in her spare time when she's not working as a rural route letter carrier for the United States Postal Service.� Tumosa-Lawler received a bachelor of arts degree in journalism in 1974 from Colorado State University, then worked as a writer, editor and photographer for numerous newspapers and magazines for over 20 years.� Her parents were in the restaurant business most of their working lives, so Tumosa-Lawler likes to say she "grew up" in a food-oriented environment.� She describes both her parents as excellent cooks.� Tumosa-Lawler lives in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, with her husband, Pat, their cat and two desert tortoises.