Hello Fellow Readers. Just dug this gem out of my stack of books: Do No Harm by Henry Marsh. A good friend had recommended it over 3 years ago and this past month I couldn't put it down
Do No Harm is written by British brain surgeon Henry Marsh. Dr. Marsh does a wonderful job of talking about complicated brain issues in easily understandable language. He also talks about his interpersonal relationships with patients, co-workers and his family. He also shines light on the bureaucracy that medicine has become.
Dr. Marsh starts each chapter with a medical term for a disorder, such as Aneurysm, and then discusses the surgery he performs on a patient with that problem, along with the situations surrounding the surgery. Situations include not having enough beds in the surgery ward for his patients, dealing with other "famous" brain surgeons and the damage they have wrought to a patient, through to working as a volunteer in a Ukrainian hospital. Dr. Marsh also brings out his personal story, including his infant son suffering from a brain tumor, and his retinas detaching and breaking his leg falling down his staircase. Doctors are human too, and need medical care just like you and I.
The book was a fun and fast read. Dr. Marsh gave enthralling descriptors of surgeries. He also told about unsuccessful surgeries that left patients dead, in a vegetative state or otherwise. Dr. Marsh's commitment to his patients' best outcomes was evident in each story.
I definitely encourage you to read this book. It will shed some light on the inner workings of the brain, and might just make you think about things in a new way.
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