ITP Future Hope Christian Science Fiction

A few weeks ago I received this book by David Gelber M.D. called Behind the Mask.

It is a book written to give us (the patient) a glimpse into the life and mind of a surgeon. Have you ever been at a doctors appointment and wondered why the doctor is so quick with you? Have you ever wondered what really goes on in your doctors mind? If so this book is a must read for you.

I started reading it and finished it within 24 hours. I found myself shaking my head in understanding at the things that Dr. Gelber says. He writes so that you understand what he is thinking before, during and after surgery. It helps you to understand why surgeons make the choices that they make. I actually learned quite a bit from this book and the next time I have to see a doctor I will understand them a little bit more thanks to this book.

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions of it.

http://flipflopsandfroggies.blogspot.com/2011/10/behind-mask.html

Behind The Mask takes more than a peek into the life of a surgeon. With a touch of humour, and a down-to-earth manner (with the occasional interjection of medical terminology), the author looks at four areas of concern to the surgeon and the patient.

I Preoperative
One of the most important times a patient can have before surgery is the first talk with the surgeon himself. Oftentimes, the patient will only see the surgeon once or twice, so the more honest facts the patient can give at this time, the better. The author also introduces the reader to various aspects of the human body that can often affect the surgical procedure—germs, infection, poor healing, blood complications, and so forth

II Intraoperative
The author now takes us inside the operating theatre to give the reader a look at what goes on in there. “Sometimes in the practice of surgery it is necessary to work very quickly”. This does not mean, of course, that things are done in a haphazard manner; rather, judgment calls may need to be made on the spot, and the surgeon but be able to do so without hesitation. The life of the patient may depend on it.

III Postoperative
Recovery is just as important as the surgery itself. Once again, the human body is really the thing responsible for healing. certainly, antibiotics can be given, as well as bandages and stitches, but in the end, it is the body itself that heals (or doesn’t heal) itself. So, as a word to the wise, the author reminds the readers to make sure they keep their bodies in very good health.

IV The Lighter Side
No doubt, some patients have met rather dour surgeons, but all is not complete seriousness. There are many surgeons with a sense of humour. The author is one of them, and he shares several funny anecdotes and articles (for example, surrogate surgery, where chimpanzees and orangutans are being trained to perform minor surgeries…)

Overall, this is an enlightening look into the mystique of surgery.

http://agardeninmypocket.tumblr.com/post/11603478471/behind-the-mask

This was a good week for me as it relates to reading -- I finished two books!

Behind the Mask: the Mystique of Surgery and the Surgeons who Perform Them was written by a general surgeon and fellow blogger (Heard in the OR). It was a wonderful peak inside of a world that I've been fortunate enough to see firsthand. However, Dr. Gelber uses this book to educate us lay people on the body and common surgical procedures. He also shares stories and his perspective on a variety of issues. It helped me fill in some of the missing pieces in my operating room (OR) knowledge generated from years of talking to surgeons and those peaks into the OR during my rounds.

This book should be required reading for anyone in medical school, hospital administrators (especially those who work directly with surgeons) and anyone involved with setting policy related to reimbursement and payment for surgical procedures. I also recommend it for the reading list of my fellow Baby Boomers who may one day soon be referred to a General Surgeon.

A few things from the book stand out for me and I share them below.

"Training, experience, insight, knowledge, and more than a touch of humility combine to create a surgeon."

"The truly great surgeon is never so arrogant as to believe that something can't be wrong."

"The human body is constructed in a remarkable way that keeps it running during the most trying situations."

I learned about the omentum - "...an organ that brings new blood supply to areas in need" and its important role as a "watchdog".

Dr. Gelber discusses the importance of talking with the patient to help the physician head in the right direction.

He reviews the role of surgery pre and post diagnosis of Sepsis and need for immediate and aggressive response. As he states, "... more malpractice lawsuits are won due to inadequate treatment of a complication than for the actual complication."

He comments on the risk of not allowing nurses (especially those in critical care) to "think" and it highlights the need to update nursing licensure and scope of practice requirements, especially given the anticipated shortage of physicians and nursing professionals.

He brings up the important issue of end-of-life and palliative procedures.

And,he shares his frustration with knotted patient gowns. I wonder if he (and administrators) know gowns with snaps exist and they are ideal for surgical patients and helping the surgeon access the right area of the body without frustration? (I learned about these after the linen staff notified me of the high rate of riped gowns.)

Over the years, I've worked with some wonderful surgeons. Some had a rough edge and others had a bit of an ego, but all were truly caring and dedicated professionals. This book has given me some new insight and knowledge to have more intelligent clinical conversations with surgeons and ensure that clinicians have what they need to care for our patients -today and in the future.

http://thielst.typepad.com/

Christina Thielst Christina's Considerations

Greetings Dr. Gelber,

Heard about your book at the 35th class (of '76) reunion. You should have come and brought a truckload of books to sign and sell. I read your book in 2 days---fascinating and informative. And infused with humor. I'd forgotten how funny you are. Though I've never had any surgery myself my Mom has had many. As a cancer survivor you can only imagine the procedures she's had. Congrats on your success and I will be reading all of your books. I also want to extend my sympathy to you and your family regarding the horrific event that took place at you parent's home. It boggles the mind. Remembering Lincoln School, those creepy Jr. High buildings, and Scotia High School!!!

Sincerely,

Barb (Rumney) Topor

Shows like E.R. and House have captured audiences for years, bringing people into the complex, harried world of the hospital. Gelber, a general surgeon and blogger, demystifies and explicates the inner workings of a surgery (and the surgeons who perform them) in a series of short essays that cover pre, during, and post-surgery, as well as a few humorous sketches thrown in for fun.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, to be honest. When I saw it on NetGalley several months ago and requested it, I felt like it was something I should read as a future medical professional, but didn't expect to be entertained. I imagined the book would be more like a textbook - I would learn some things, get some good lessons from it, write a review, and move on. However, many of Gelber's sketches piqued my interest and drew me in to the OR, a place I've never considered working, and his humorous chapters at the end of the book had me laughing out loud as I read it on the treadmill.

Dr. Gelber describes the experiences of late-night calls to the hospital, breaking tragic news to patients, getting sprayed by an unclamped blood vessel, and choosing which hair covering to wear before entering the OR with personality and clarity. While I am not the best judge of whether the text was too weighed down with jargon, as I am familiar with most of the terms he used, he seemed very conscientious about explaining various diseases and procedures and also included a glossary at the end of the book. He kept his anecdotes simple and interesting, choosing experiences that were illustrative of the concepts he was trying to explain.

I also appreciated his chapter on nurses, in which he quoted a chauvinistic, albeit talented, surgeon that had been his mentor and had advocated being more specific in medical orders because nurses were supposed to follow orders, not think. Um, excuse me? I was getting a bit riled up until Dr. Gelber explained that he thought this was a chauvinistic approach and that nurses' critical thinking skills were essential in providing the best care to patients. Thank you, Dr. Gelber. He is married to a nurse, and I imagine his wife ascertained from the beginning that her husband didn't view nurses as humble handmaidens scurrying to follow the handsome doctor's command.

There were several grammatical errors in the book, which may have been partially because I was reading an advance copy that had not been edited. They were distracting at times, although I tend to be a bit more forgiving of such things with memoirs - I feel it goes with the territory, whether that is as it should be or not.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and a good glimpse into the life of a surgeon. It has a few flaws, but is a good choice for readers who have a strong interest in the subject.

3.25 stars

http://thestorygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com

I just finished reading this fascinating book about surgeons and surgery. It really appealed to me, since I am a nurse and work in the operating room. Dr. Gelber certainly is respectful of nurses and clearly explains their vital importance in the proper care of patients. The chapter "Don't Think" zeros in on nurses and their role as patient advocate, as well as being the eyes and ears of the doctor.

The book as a whole is well written and easy to read, but definitely not oversimplified. Anyone that works in surgery or cares for surgical patients will enjoy it and learn some things about the surgeon's mind and thought processes that they would never have suspected. Dr. Gelber presents his failures alongside his successes and talks about how he has learned from both.

Some chapters are humorous and a few don't really have much to do with surgery, but they still were pretty funny. I recommend that anyone that is interested in surgery as a nurse, tech, doctor or patient read this book. *****5 stars

Cat Manzi RN from Goodreads.com

Dr. David Gelber, author of "ITP Future Hope" and "Joshua and Aaron ITP Book II", has decided to come back to our dimension and to our reality with "Behind the Mask" which I consider to be a great book compiling stories about surgery, punctuated at times with anecdotes, true feelings and observations of a man who day after day, goes into an operating room to save people's lives.
"Behind the mask" is superbly written, allowing the reader to become somewhat of a "voyeur" into a world where only those initiated in the art are allowed. This is not Hollywood. Though it tends to be somewhat technical in some parts, the reader without a medical background looses nothing in translation. You will enjoy the journey into Dr. Gelber's world and will come out with a better understanding of you as a patient, and hopefully a better appreciation for those who practice the art of surgery and their committment to saving lives. Beautifully done. ***** 5 stars

Denise Jarbath from Amazon.com

I love this book!

Dr. Gelber opens up as a surgeon and a human being, allowing us access into that mysterious realm the lay-person avoids like the plague--the doctor's world. Never dry, this book kept me interested all the way. I recognize little memoir moments which gave me a peek into this doctor's particular view of his profession--how to make it better, how to "do no harm"--and at the same time, I learned more than I ever thought I would about surgery and everything attached to this field. I also gobbled up the author's appreciation for the patient as an individual... after you read this, you're going to wish that David Gelber was your personal physician.

It is an easy, quick read, and David's humor kept me turning the pages. I bought one for my mother (the daughter of a doctor and RN), who in turn grabbed it up for her doctor brothers.

You can't miss if you like non-fiction that teaches and entertains at the same time. Loved it, truly *****5 stars Amazon.com and Goodreads.com

Ellen C. Maze, author "Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider"

Do not be deterred by the cold medical cover or the fear of multisyllabic medical lingo, this book is a little gem and a must read.
It’s amazing how clear the writing is, how concise the phrases are and how interesting it all is. It’s hard to think a book about surgeons could be a page turner, but it truly is. In particular I enjoyed the chapter called The Villain, which deals mainly with post-operative infections and how the doctors have managed throughout the ages to combat them. There are so many interesting facts.
I learned, for example, about an organ I’d never heard about that protects our abdominal cavities, wrapping itself around our injuries like a blanket to keep infections from spreading further. That is just one example of the myriad of facts I gleamed from this book.
If you are like me, and non-fiction is not your first choice, I urge you to not turn this book aside; it is well worth your time. You just might learn something, I know, the horror!

Valentina http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com

Unique insite into what makes a surgeon. A very revealing and educational story about an art that is being lost to modern times. Lets you put yourself into his feelings about what, why and how he deals with situations. Loved the book, looking forward to the next adventure. *****5 stars Amazon.com

Gail Reynolds RN, operating room nurse

Dear David, thank you very much for sending me the manuscript of still another book of yours. I found out, this time, that I have not been invited to share the lives of imaginary characters that filled the pages of the captivating fiction of your first two books. Rather, in this-your most recent book-you promised to “take the readers on a journey through the mind of a surgeon” and you were true to that promise.

You started by recognizing that it would be sheer arrogance for surgeons to claim that, through their art, they could “alter God’s creation for nobler purposes” and you reminded the readers that the “star” in the hospital, the consultation office or in the operating room should always be the patient.

Rejecting arrogance permits the surgeon to recognize his/her fallibility and the objective humility that physicians should have in their practices. After all, notes Dr. Gelber pathologists found out in their autopsies that the diagnosis of the deceased patients was incorrect in almost 60% of the cases! Such admissions, in objective humility, must certainly be the moving factor for surgeons to improve on their diagnostic acumen.

You then took the readers through what it takes to form and train surgeons in the US.

Then came what would be perhaps the most interesting part of your book especially to aspiring surgeons or surgeons in training. I mean by this your clear descriptions of a number of surgical conditions along with the challenges that a surgeon may have to confront in their management. The way you presented those surgical stories may be of great use to medical students, surgical residents and even, in some cases, to practicing surgeons. I would also greatly encourage medical students to read your book if they have the least inclination to pursue a surgical career because of the didactic way by which you presented the keys to surgical success, and the detective like challenge that you utilized to arrive at the most efficient way needed in the management of complicated cases. This would certainly stimulate the inclination of young men and women to choose a surgical career. It may be also important to note that your experience as a writer of fiction and non fiction as well as your gifts as a “raconteur” rendered your case histories fascinating to all readers.

This great book of yours should also be made available to patients and their relatives in order to better understand what the best surgeon may achieve and what could simply be impossible to reach.

Your description of the evolving advances that surgery may offer along with the development of modern tools makes very interesting reading and offers hope to the readers.

I also have to congratulate you for insisting on the great role of nurses in the management of patients. You used your own experience to assert that “an experienced critical nurse who understands the deranged physiology of the ICU patients can make a difference between complete recovery and death”. Your use of Dag Hammarskjold [1] quotation that was made before ICU care became an important specialty reaffirms the importance of nurses in all ages. Hammarskjold simply noted that “constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon.”

Your section on death and dying as well as that on suffering and the need to have optimal pain control add to the value of your great book.

I wish you great success in the distribution of your book

Jailane joins me to send you and Laura our best wishes and all our affection

Warmest regards,

Amin