Lamia can mean many things: the name of my mother in Rome, the eldest of the three sisters who ate the hearts of fallen stars, or the name of the curse in a low-quality horror film by Sam Raimi. Most importantly, it is the second half of “Patchy Lamia,” which is the name of the lovely stuffed doll I received from a woman in return for saving her daughter’s life in 1971. Stuffed companions, however patchy, make it easier to sleep when your mind is spilling over with all the horrors of the world.