Years ago, a woman with cancer came to see me carrying a burden that weighed almost as heavily as her diagnosis. She had been reading about the mind-body connection and finally asked, with tears in her eyes, “What did I … Read More
When I began practicing surgery, medicine taught me to look outward for the answers: examine the patient, identify the disease, order the appropriate tests, and then use surgery, medication, or another treatment to correct what had gone wrong. I remain … Read More
Years ago, I cared for a man whose medical problems were complicated but whose greatest suffering wasn’t visible on an X-ray or laboratory report. His wife had died, his children lived far away, and after retirement many of the friendships … Read More
When I was a young surgeon, I thought I understood healing because I understood curing: find the disease, remove it when possible, repair what could be repaired, and send the patient home to recover. Then my patients began teaching me … Read More
For much of my early medical training, we tended to think about genes almost as though they were instructions carved in stone. You inherited certain genes from your parents, and those genes helped determine the hand you were dealt. Genetics … Read More
Many years ago, I cared for a woman who had undergone successful surgery. By every medical measure, her recovery was progressing exactly as we had hoped. Yet each morning she seemed tense and exhausted, and every small setback convinced her … Read More
One of the greatest misconceptions about gratitude is that it asks us to ignore our suffering. My patients taught me exactly the opposite. I remember visiting a woman recovering from major surgery who had every reason to complain. She was … Read More
One of the greatest gifts my patients ever gave me was an entirely new understanding of hope. Early in my career, I assumed hope was simply an emotion—something people either had or didn’t have depending on their circumstances. But after … Read More
Years ago, a woman came to see me after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Before we talked about surgery or treatment, she quietly shared a dream she’d had just weeks earlier. In the dream, she was walking through her home … Read More
When I was a young surgeon, I believed healing came primarily from knowledge. A doctor studied the disease, chose the right treatment, and helped the patient recover. There is truth in that. Modern medicine has accomplished remarkable things, and I remain grateful … Read More