but this book I couldn't put down. It was enlightening, and yet heart wrenching. Allen Hamilton did an excel let job of telling the truth. of admitting his own short comings and what it means to be open minded and how you can't deny a faith when its thrown at you in so many ways.
Maybe it's because I'm going into the medical field or maybe its because I have this faith that I wish everyone could feel- that the peace of a strong faith is something hard to explain until you feel it for yourself. either way I loved this book and suggest adding it to your 'must reads'.
I'll share my two favorite parts to give you a
sneak peek(so you know what your getting yourself into ;)
chapter 4 -Is there a doctor in the house : page 48 -
( Mr Giovanni needed a valve replacement - he wasn't sure how he felt about the pig valve being used despite the " illustrious cardiologist of the 20th centuries opinion"
" I've got to talk to my children, to discuss this with ... and my doctor. I've got to ask my doctor's opinion.
your doctor ?
( few paragraphs skipped)
( you could tell that professor salkner knew no one would dare disagree with a salkner diagnosis. )
sir give me his name and phone number -
i don't need you to call him - you can just ask him now. he's standing at the back of the room.
everyone audibly gasped who could this be? a cardiology fellow? a visiting Doctor from the community ? The crowd of white coats parted. Ant there, standing in the door way was none other than a lowly third-year medical student. "
it goes on to tell you how the renowned surgeon had to explain everything to the 3rd yr and then ask if he would stay and sit with the patient to reassure him of the clinical wisdom of proceeding with the procedure. hopefully it was humbling to the doctor as much as it taught the 3rd yr the value of spending time with each patient so that the completely trust you that your not their physician but their "doctor"
- he goes on to state you know you have found your doctor when no other physician opinion matters.
my favorite !
chapter 16- Soul survivor. page 203
(this is about a lady who under went one of the highest risk surgeries. in which they would stop her heart. and freeze her body in order to preserve the brain tissue has he removed a tumor. - all said and done the surgery went well and the patient survived. the remarkable thing beyond that was that when she woke up she remember EVERYTHING that happened in the OR. conversations. placement of things what the team members looked like. EVERYTHING.
you're thinking OK.... strange but how is that remarkable maybe she didn't have enough meds. well Sir Newton Pitcairn thought that as well... except...
" to satisfy myself, I took a copy of the EEG and showed it to two more colleagues in neurology who routinely read EEG printouts for a living. I told each one of the that this particular EEG was taken from a patient whom i was asked to declare " brain - dead". In short, this was someone whose brain was believed to be completely destroyed. and i wanted to be sure there was no evidence of brain wave activity. Both of them assured me that the EEG was unequivocal: the patent's brain was dead. A goner. So the case left us squabbling among ourselves, dividing into camps.
Sarah however left me with a far more disturbing question. I had asked her : did this experience - of recollection of what had been said in the operating room - change in any way any of her presumptions about life? or God?
" yes" - she said. " I have faith. I believe in God. I know that when i die. I will be with him in heaven. For all eternity. So that incident reminded me that i do believe."
I believe in God too " - i said ( allen hamilton the author )
" yes but you want me to reassure you that God is there. You want to know that i was somehow out there with him. you;re asking me all the questions because of your own doubts, your own fears"
"maybe so.. I just want to..."
" you just want to know! not believe. Like i do. but know. for sure.:
I suppose
Did it ever occur to you that the reason i may have experienced whatever i did-whatever you and your colleagues are running around trying to prove- might just be a reflection of my faith.
I'm not sure what you mean
I believe in God so I'm able to join him. you don't - or you worry that maybe you don't. - so you cant
powerful Sarah. I hope i have this kind of impact on someone one day.
( its on my by 30 list but ill be happy if its just before I perish ;) lol )
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