3 comments about Seeds of Hope: A Physician's Personal Triumph Over Prostate Cancer.

1. A great book! Prostate cancer, and possible treatments, are not subjects that are easy to explain. However Dr. Dorso is able through his position as not only a physician, but also a patient, to explain possible cancer treatment options in a clear and understandable way. His story is personal and compassionate. Thoughout the book I found his experience became my experience. His sincerity and authenticity shine throughout. "Seeds of Hope" is definitely a must read for anyone who has cancer or who knows someone that has cancer. If I were a doctor I would prescribe it!



2. This is an essential source of information if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer. This has certainly been a real eye-opener for me, here is a doctor, who suddenly finds himself as a patient. So well written, so personal, and yet so easily understood, none of the "latin" that we sometimes get from doctors, you feel as though you are actually sitting there with him, or even in his brain. He shares ALL his worries, frustrations, anxieties, relief's and his joys too as he moves forward in his goal to be truly the master of his own destiny. I highly recommend this book, to anyone who is having to cope/deal with prostate cancer. Doctor's too, cancer affects so many people, this book can even give you the professional a lot of insight into patients perspectives. BUY it NOW!



3. This is an excellent book, written by a physician, but from the perspective of a patient considering the many options available for prostate cancer treatment. It is particularly beneficial in describing the details of the seed implant treatment, and the impact of this disease on spouse and family. It should be read by every man who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer before a treatment choice is made.

No comments about Something for the Pain: One Doctor's Account of Life and Death in the ER.

5 comments about My Own Medicine: A Doctor's Life as a Patient.

1. This book is a refreshingly candid, funny, and moving account of one physician's experiences as a patient with a serious and often fatal illness. I found it difficult to put down, extremely well written, and accessible to both lay public and medical professional. Dr. Kurland's account is an important addition to the genre addressing the patient experience. It is must reading for anyone involved in patient care... and anyone who might be a patient...



2. Wonderful book with a lot of insight on the doctor being the patient. Despite the seriousness of the subject (diagnosis and treatment of lymphoma), it is sprinkled with humorous anecdotes about medical sub-specialists and medical training. Gives insight into physician thinking and training that should prove enlightening to non-physicians. A well-written, wise book by a great doctor.



3. Nonfiction with all the excitement of a novel. It reads easily, stays on track, holds the reader's interest and has to have wide appeal. How a physician barely survives a frightening disease and manages to achieve some lifelong dreams in the face of extreme adversity. It offers special insight to all of us as potential patients or medical providers, with some special appeal to runners and endurance athletes.



4. Our family was inspired by the stamina and ability to reach for the stars that doctor Kurland demonstrated in his book. It was quite helpful in dealing with our own personal fight against a difficult illness. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone dealing with disease and irony.As a doctor he has an aura of magnetic strength and is highly regarded in his profession. We tip our hats off to you!



5. Highly recommeded reading, well written. A doctor's perspective when faced himself with a potentially lethal diagnosis. Geoffrey Kurland takes you along for this trip with humor and a high dose of reality. His story helps the reader put things in perspective.

5 comments about C.G. Jung and Hermann Hesse.

1. I picked this up because I had read several books by Hesse and was interested in Mr. Serrano's personal experiences with the Master. I found his writing to be quite engaging, and felt as if I had met Hesse myself. The section on Jung piqued my interest enough for me to search for his, The Undiscovered Self, which I loved as well. I also went on to read Mr. Serrano's, The Ultimate Flower. Unfortunately most of Serrano's other works are out of print. Get this before it goes o.o.p. too. You won't regret it.



2. Serrano was a writer and diplomat who sought out 2 masters as a spiritual/philosophic seeker. Fascinating biography, mixed with Serrano's own fixations.

   Serrano later fixated on Adolph Hitler, so there certainly seems to be a germanic bent that he followed. Read "Black Sun" to see the strange path MS took after his encounters with Hesse and Jung.




3. _This is the second time that I have read this remarkable book. Both times I found myself envying the author for having established friendships with two of my greatest heroes, two of the greatest sages of modern times, Hermann Hesse and C.G. Jung.
   
   _This is not some collection of trivial exchanges- from the first meeting with both men the tone of the conversations were deep and significant. As the author says, it was like he had known both men before and they were resuming an old discussion. Hess himself commented on it and said that, "Here, only the right guests meet. This is the Hermetic Circle...." Sounds rather like Jung's concept of synchronicity, though Jung also speaks of Hermetic links with past and future in these discussions.
   
   _While both sections cover a remarkable amount of the core meaning of the life work of both men, there is also a personal sense here. You feel like you are meeting them yourself, are also guests in their houses. Not that the ideas are all rehash either- here and there something new pops up. An example would be how in one of the interviews with Jung the discussion turned to how both the ancient Greeks and the Native Americans both thought from their hearts and not their heads. Thinking exclusively from one's head is the result of dissociation between ego and Self- and sets up a tension that may tear a person or culture to pieces. In any case, you feel that you know both men. Of course, Hesse's novels were autobiographical in the deepest sense (and it is reaffirming to know that he actually was an accurate reflection of his characters- it wasn't just a show.) As for Jung, he states outright that he wrote primarily for his own process of individuation and that the fact that so many others read him made him frankly uncomfortable.
   
   _I was glad to see that my own perceptions of these often misunderstood and misinterpreted men seem to have been accurate from the start. For me too it was like a conversation with old friends- relinking with the Hermetic Circle.



4. An enchanting book by the controversial author Miguel Serrano. Serrano's books are often hard to interpret (requiring a knowledge of Alchemy, Gnosticism, Norse Paganism, Arthurian myth, Nietzschean Philosophy, Jungian Psychology, as well as Tantra both Buddhist and Hindu in order to decipher) but this is one of his more straightforward works. Serrano does an excellent job of drawing one into the story its almost as if you are on a spiritual pilgrimage with him. Despite the fact that I enjoyed his two other books that have been translated into English ( NOS book of the Resurrection and The Secret Flower) I put off buying this book for some reason. After having read a few of Hesse's works and finding them to be truly amazing I knew I had to stop putting it off and buy it. I wasn't disappointed.



5. While I enjoyed this book, it fell short of the other reviews posted here. I'll preface my review - my readings of Jung are more limited than Hesse. I would rate the Hesse portion 2 stars, and the Jung Section 4 stars.
   
   Serrano romanticizes both Hesse and Jung to the point that they are portrayed as spiritual leaders. Serrano reminded me of a wide-eyed traveler who enjoyed idealizing the East, never really becoming entrenched in the culture. Spirituality isn't found by moving to India as much as Serrano alludes. It is possible my cynicism is a result of a recent trip to Asia where I encountered many travelers that reminded me of Serrano's worldly immaturity, although his later fascination with Nazism lends itself to my analysis.
   
   I was looking forward to the linkage between these authors and East theology/philosophy, but I think Serrano came up short. Some ideas he purports came from Jung or Hesse were around long before either author was born, and I do not think either author would say otherwise.
   
   Serrano fixates, at times, on himself a bit too much. Maybe some readers find Serrano interesting, but I was reading the book for insight into Hesse and Jung.
   
   Serrano wrote about Hesse as if Hesse were the Buddha. If you are interested in spiritual guidance I'd search elsewhere. Personally I think Hesse led a life of greater inner turmoil than Serrano lets on in this piece. I can appreciate the other reviewer's comment about people misunderstanding Hesse, however I found reading Hesse's "Wandering" more fruitful than this work.
   
   I did enjoy the Jung section. Serrano focuses less on himself in the Jung section and has more detailed accounts of interactions which I found fascinating. However, my readings of Jung are somewhat limited so the section may not actually offer much insight compared to other works.
   
   I'd recommend reading the book for the Jung section, but maybe get this book from the library rather than buying it.

5 comments about This Ain't E.R.: A Heart Surgeon's Struggle to Keep the Faith.

1. If this were to be a truly honest account - as it claims to be - then it should have commented on the atrociously poor reputation that "Bayview's" surgery residency has across the nation. As a former surgery resident, I can comment with confidence on this point. To say that "Bayview" has one of the best surgery programs in the country is absolute fantasy! Teaching is poor and resident morale is abysmal. Murrah's success is probably mostly due to his personal strengths in spite of "Bayview" rather than because of it. True, "Bayview" surgery has a rich heritage, but its luster has faded in recent years. Other than these falsehoods, I found the book largely enjoyable.



2. This book has multiple problems. First and foremost, the writing is poor. Second, Murrah beats the reader over the head with his premise that this story is more "true" and "real" than other books on the same topic, because he supposedly wrote it as he went along in training. Unfortunately, those episodes are presented in brief passages he drew from his notes. The majority of the book is retrospective commentary on what he was thinking at the time- something for which he criticizes other authors. Further, his arrogance grows tiresome early- just because you're a liberal doesn't make you better than everyone else, Murrah. Also, UAB is not a good surgery program, Emory is not the best CV program around, and your wife is not "hot" as you mention several times. I get the feeling throughout that Murrah has to keep telling himself these things to justify his choices in life. In the end, Murrah is just another one of the 140 + residents who complete cardiothoracic training in this country each year. There is nothing of value in the pages he has put forth here.



3. If you work went to school or work at Bayview General (as I do) then it is a definite buy and read. His description of the characters is amusing. After you read it you will certainly have a new perception of arrogance at its highest level. There are a lot of people in a lot of specialties who work hard and try to put the patient first. Tell us once and get on with the story. If you are not familiar with Bayview I don't think you would enjoy it nearly as much, and remember, this is one person's (very biased) view.



4. I thought the writting was accurate, but, could have used some better editing. As a close to finishing Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellow myself, I enjoyed the premise, theme, and characterizations. But, as others have stated, UAB is not among the best General Surgery Residencies, and Emory is not among the best or busiest Cardiothoracic Surgery Residencies. Perhaps each is among the most "malignant."
   This is not a good book for those considering a career in medicine...This IS a good book for those considering a career in surgery. CT surgeons are a very minute population, and it wouldn't be wise to take Murrah's experiences as generalities when a far greater majority of medical society has a different mindset, and different training philosophy.



5. I found myself laughing at what amounts to a surgical resident with a godzilla ego. I can't believe that someone who is entrusted with protecting and saving lives can make such fun of the very people he is charged with helping. If I were one of these patients and read this scrambled mess, I would hire an attorney for slander and malpractice. I only hope that he never passed his boards and if he did, practices in a state far from mine....you're the type of ass that gives doctors a bad name.

2 comments about Mi vuelta a la vida.

1. This is one of the most inspirational biographies I have ever read, and comes from the truly remarkable life experiences of a determined young man. I loved every word!
   
   Early in the book, Lance Armstrong says ". . . that cancer was the best thing that happened to me." He goes on to say, "When I was sick I saw more beauty and triumph and truth in a single day than I ever saw in a bike race."
   
   Overcoming cancer and becoming an athletic champion in the grueling sport of bicycle racing require a toughness of spirit, mind, and body that is hard for most of us to imagine. This inspirational book portrays beautifully how one can start with the right spirit and overcome enormous obstacles.
   
   Although his doctors told him he had a 40 percent chance of surviving stage three testical cancer, this was mostly to keep his morale up. After he had recovered, his doctor admitted that is chances were around 3 percent, instead.
   
   While he was being treated for the cancer, no one thought that he might ever race again. He did decide to go through treatments that would leave open the possibility that his lungs (affected by the cancer) would still be functional and his coordination (through delicate brain surgery) would be unaffected. Within two years, he had won the Tour de France, a grueling race he had never done well in before he had cancer.
   
   Growing up, Lance Armstrong had little reason to suspect that he would become one of the world's greatest athletes. He was well into high school, still trying pretty unsuccessfully to make the football and swimming teams, before it became clear that he could become a significant cyclist. Pleased with the money that success brought, he had a tough time building the attitude of a champion to go with his remarkable endurance skills. Overcoming cancer helped him with that, as well as seeing the beauty around him.
   
   He met his wife at the press conference to announce the beginning of his foundation to fight cancer. They were married during his recovery, and recently became parents through the miracles of modern medicine.
   
   Of such wonderful stuff are role models made, something we have too few of these days.
   
   The story is told in a very open and matter-of-fact way. He is not trying to make himself into something that he isn't. Clearly, his purpose in writing this book is to help all of us fulfill our potential rather than to glorify himself.
   
   Please share this book with people who need this inspiration.



2. Me parece un buen libro motivacional, lo recomiendo pues nos ensena a que siendo perseverantes podemos alcanzar nuestras metas y superar cualquier obstaculo de la vida....

5 comments about As I Live and Breathe: Notes of a Patient-Doctor.

1. Dr. Weisman provides an insightful look into the unique life of a "patient-doctor" in As I Live and Breathe. She battles a chronic, severe immune system illness, at the same time juggling a medical career that is both rewarding and disheartening. The fight for life is sometimes won and sometimes lost, but she keeps a positive attitude through it all. This comes from the exceptional experience that she encounters everyday, through her disease. She uses the knowledge that she has gained from her own illness to create compassion and true sympathy for the patients that she treats. This is unique; this is where most doctors are lacking. She shows both the understanding and knowledge that is rare in the medical profession.
   This autobiography is not only about health and medical experience. It is about everything any human being encounters: marriage, childbearing, dealing with the loss of a loved one, and all the trials that comes with them. Dr. Weisman simply puts a spin on life, expressing it to the audience from a different point of view. She ponders on the unique perspectives of all the patients and families that she treats, and finds a positive force in all of them. She learns from her mistakes to help them better their lives. In a way, it is a sort of cycle, both parties feeding off the other.
   The power of family is important, she says; it provides an amazing support system for a patient that is much needed. She speaks fondly of her own family and the support that they provide, giving them credit for their undying courage and love. In wonder, she says, "I have never had to stand by and watch a loved one suffer the way my family has stood by me." She also admires her husband, saying, "[There was a] mix of joy I felt at asking another human being to share in the ambiguity of my life. I credit my husband with tremendous courage in loving me, someone whose future is from the start more fragile than others'." The relationship between family and patient is extraordinary, and Weisman does a wonderful job of depicting this with the sheer honesty that comes with an illness.
   This book is truly inspirational; the author takes the incredible situation that she is in, and turns it into a masterpiece of insight into the human mind. It expresses the core of the human spirit and everything it can endure. It shows the reader that one can overcome any obstacle and make light of a seemingly dark situation. It also proves that "bad days" are acceptable and "good days" are even better. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a good, honest read.



2. I feel lucky to have been able to read this absolutely exquisite, yet at times gut wrenching, personal memoir, by a very gifted author who, it should be noted, is over twenty years younger than me. As one who has a very limited real life knowledge of medical life and death, it was an eye opener to (what sometimes seems) a completely different world. This is not only a sublime course in medical history and ethics, but a harrowing landscape of how the body can go wrong in myriad ways, and how the medical profession works its genius. The author has been through it from both sides too, and does not flinch in the telling. Not to be missed! Having read thousands of great books in nearly all fields, this is among the all-time best!



3. After witnessing the painful treatment and deaths of my in-laws recently, I was most interested in the author's account of her unbearable pain when her face was infected, and the problem she had in obtaining relief. She was a doctor herself and the staff knew her--yet she still had to beg for hours for relief. When will the medical profession treat pain adequately? I am disappointed that after enduring so much pain that she does not recognize this need. Overall, her courage is admirable, and we need more doctors who have endured chronic illness to write accounts that enlighten the general public.



4. Jamie Weisman is an excellent writer and a brave woman. She has been willing to accept the health problems she has been dealt and yet she chooses to grab life by the horns and live it. She acknowledges she is surrounded by a loving strong support system in her family of origin and her husband, and by giving that acknowledgement she also shows grace and strength.
   
   The warning comes from Jamie's spelling out the human mistakes that happen in the practice of medicine, even when the patient and the family advocates are watching closely.
   
   This is an excellent memoir in and of itself but I would also recommend it to anyone trying to be advocate for an ill relative or friend.



5. This is the best book I have ever read. Dr Jamie Weisman is my Doctor and she is very dedicated to her patians. She has really done wonders for me. Everyone should read this book to see that they are not the only ones having problems

4 comments about Bag Balm and Duct Tape: Tales of a Vermont Doctor.

1. Funny that he should mention James Herriot, which was more or less what I was hoping for. Despite a few interesting parts and parts that rang true (I'm also a doc) my overall impression was one of bordom. The book didn't have much substance or deep meaning. Sort of a vague diary which was not of general interest. (With an apology to the author's mother, whose opinion he keeps dredging up.....)



2. This book had me laughing out loud! signed, a former country do



3. Truly enjoyed this book. As a Nurse and a Vermonter I found this book to be so true of the Vermont I know and our blessed health care providers. I recommend it to anyone beginning their career in health care.



4. I also expected a Herriott-like tale of the flatland doctor encountering the crusty characters of Vermont, as he slowly learns about them and their quaint customs and eventually becomes a Vermonter himself. The book violated this expectation, and perhaps in a good way, because those kinds of books often have humor that is too gentle and plot that is nonexistent. Although the book does discuss his patients and the geography and economics of Vermont, through semi-fictional characters, it is more of a commentary on modern medicine and the doctor's place in it. Dr. Beach is severely self-deprecating about himself and the doctor's role in curing people, which appears in (presumably fictional) long, humorous speeches he gives to his patients who come to him with problems. Although the status of his patients as Vermonters does come up, it is rather less the focus of the book than one might expect.
   
   The book is a kind of mish-mash of doctoring, observation of human nature, commentary on medicine and its inability to do most things, and a history of one corner of Vermont. It was a pleasant read for me while I was on vacation in Vermont, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a light, humorous (but not hilarious) read. My only reservation was that some of the monologues he engages in with patients would be in rather poor taste if they had actually taken place in real life (especially the conversation with his terminally ill patient). I don't suspect him of actually talking to his dying patients that way, but the event was a little disturbing even in fiction.
   
   But overall, a pleasant book by a doctor who refuses to take himself seriously.

5 comments about The Test: Living in the Shadow of Huntington's Disease.

1. Couldn't wait to read this book, as my father is struggling with Huntington's Disease, which, of course, meant my own struggle with "to test or not to test." That said, I'm sorry to report that I was sorely disappointed. While I obviously empathize with the subject matter, the inaccuracies in this book drove me nuts and stained this author's credibility with me. Being the journalist that Mr. Barema is I would think an attention to details would be a top priority. Not so, as is evidenced by his bad habit of attributing songs to Woody Guthrie (the most notable public figure with Huntington's) that Woody didn't author. "Good Morning America, How Are Ya?" is one. First off, Barema mistitles the song. It's called "The City of New Orleans" and was written by Steve Goodman. It was sung by Arlo Guthrie, NOT Woody. "Starry, Starry Night" is another notch inexplicably placed on Woody's song belt. The song was written by Don Mclean. Listen, Mr. Barema, to an author who DID get her facts straight in a book on Bob Dylan, if you're going to make frequent references to a hero like Woody know your game. Also, while the back cover blurb "Huntington's causes death within five to ten years" is gripping and more than likely geared toward sucking in the bookstore browser, it's simply not true. According to every medical web site I've ever haunted since this insidious disease entered our lives (and believe me folks, I've dropped in on them all) death from HD comes within 10-20 years. This is nothing more than an unfortunate and unsettling marketing ploy in my opinion. Apart from facts that fly around like pollen in this memoir, I didn't care for the clipped writing style. Unlike "Publisher's Weekly" it didn't hit me as "moving" or "intense" so much as annoying. Anyway, a real letdown, this one. Save your money and purchase a Woody Guthrie biography instead.



2. 
   Aside from the inaccurate statistics in this book, it does serve another purpose.
   
   Barema focuses on the anxiety, emotional turmoil and obsessive behavior that can occur during the test decision making process, which includes mothers/fathers, sisters/brothers, wives/husbands, children, doctors, etc;
   
   Barema also writes about the issues of Huntington's Disease and the overwhelming struggle to live rationally while feeling irrational.
   
   It seems to be a good book for those considering testing for HD and a real effort to educate anyone who may think that taking "The Test" may be as simple as just getting a blood test.



3. The Test is a journalist's first-person account of what it means to live at risk for Huntington's Disease. The everyday experience of hundreds of thousands, it is difficult for most people to imagine, and Jean Berera has done well in humanizing what media usually sell as unimaginable. The difficulties that HD brings to relationships within a family are thoughtfully addressed. I didn't give this book a higher rating because I disapprove of the author's (or editor's) decision not to disclose his gene status until the end of the book, using it as a kind of nonfictional plot device. In my reading, the suspense that this decision inevitably promoted detracted from the author's thoughtful reflections.



4. My wife has Huntington's Disease and our two sons have this issue to face themselves (whether to take the test that will tell them if they have the rogue gene and will inherit Huntington's Disease, or whether to continue living with uncertainty; with the 50/50 risk of developing the symptoms in their late 30s or 40s). So, I bought The Test to see if there is any insightful thinking in it that could help them. There isn't.
   
   Journalists assume they can write books (the author is a journalist). I know this because I am a journalist and too many of my colleagues assume book-writing is the same skill. It clearly isn't. Also, as no translator is credited at the beginning of the book, I assume Mr. Barema either wrote it in English himself or wrote two versions - one in English and the other in French - on the assumption that his English writing was good enough for the publisher not to get a translator in to do the English version for him (he is French, but spends a lot of time in the USA and studied in the US). Unfortunately, the English is not good enough. It lacks subtlety and, often, clarity. And, as another reviewer has mentioned, below, the facts are too often simply wrong, which is far too casual and thoughtless when the subject matter is so vital for the readers, many of whom will be at risk themselves and will have bought the book for help in dealing with that.
   
   I don't think they will find it, as I don't think it was written to help anyone. It seems to be more of an attempt to turn a personal misfortune into a dramatic work. The material has to be researched and absolutely right so as not to mislead readers who are in the same situation as the author, for whom this is information literally about their own life or death. This book isn't well-researched. Nor is it well structured.
   
   I helped my wife put together her just-published book Learning To Live With Huntington's Disease, and we know how people at risk of this illness need information that has been checked and double-checked to avoid misleading them.
   
   Despite the author's obvious love for his sister and brother, and his horror that they have the disease, there is also a lack of empathy for people with Huntington's in this book that I found shallow. The other people around the author, who are supposed to be central characters to his story, are shadowy and insubstantial and you never get a proper sense of them. You get the feeling the author doesn't either. People with this illness do not have 'nothing in their heads', as Mr. Barema seems to assume sometimes. Nor are they all insane or monstrous, as he says on several occasions. He seems to be over-generalizing from the terrible stories and experiences he had as a child when his mother was dying with Huntington's Disease. Even in the last stages of the illness this is not necessarily always the case. It seems to me his own fear of the illness has led him to play up the cliches.
   
   You can live positively with this illness, even to the last, with enough determination and love. I suspect I am being too harsh. I know my own older son went through several years where he was living a life off the rails, where he was focussed on himself and not on those around him properly. Who can blame him when he had to absorb the information that there was a 50% chance he would not have a future. He pulled through that stage after several years and got himself back together, after we almost lost him.
   
   I feel someone at that stage of the grieving process (this is a process of grieving for your future) who has come through the 'why me?' self-obsessed phase should have written this book to encourage people at risk to realize that yes, it is common to fall apart as your world falls apart around you (which seems to be the stage Mr. Barema was at when writing this book), but that, with love from others AND yourself, you can come thru that stage and become strong again. As Hemingway wrote, the world breaks all of us. But some of us are strong at the broken places. Exactly the same applies to Huntington's Disease. I wish this had been a better book. As it is, I will not be recommending it to my sons as I think it would upset them more than help them.



5. I read this book in French, so I cannot comment on the translation, but I do disagree with the above comments regarding the content. Anyone who is considering the test for Huntington's Disease should read this book. I found it thought-provoking and worthwhile.

5 comments about Across the Red Line: Stories from the Surgical Life.

1. A wonderful collection of stories about surgical life and how being a patient has made this surgeon a better health care provider. Karl does a terrific job of relating the hopes and fears that a surgeon has when performing his duties. The frailties and strengths of both patients and surgeons. Things that have gone right and things that haven't. The author has an obvious passion about his work and just as obvious compassion for his patients. Karl's unique writing style and skill really take the reader there. His descriptions of the feelings, moods and events are right on the mark.



2. naturally i give this 5 stars becaue the author is my uncle but it is truely a GREAT book a must read



3. If you have not read Dr. Karl's book you are missing this summer's #1 read. His insightful, thought provoking writing style takes you inside the operating room and so much more. I was deeply moved by his experiences and his notable style of writing about them.



4. I was totally engrossed with this book. I have read several books recounting the life of Doctors in training and although I also found those fascinating, this one was great because it came from a different perspective.
   I would sure feel much better facing a major medical need in my life with a sugeon who's understanding of the human condition is as keen as Dr. Karl's. Thanks for sharing you journey in medicine with us Dr. Karl.



5. I was a patient of Dr. Karl's back in April 2002. I was in my mid 30's and of course scared to death of surgery. Dr. Karl was the 4th surgeon that I had consulted. Once I met him, I knew he was the surgeon for me. His understanding of what I was going through, his grace, his medical experience. I could go on and on.
   
   When I heard he had written a book, I had to read it. As a patient of Dr. Karl's, when I was reading his book, I felt he was writing from his heart. There was no fluff in this book. Dr. Karl is a wonderful man, surgeon, person and spirit. I am sure Dr. Karl has touch so many people's lives. This book is a must read for patients and surgeons!
   Tammy (Brock) Cartiglia