About book When The Air Hits Your Brain: Tales Of Neurosurgery (1997)
When I read this book, I was just beginning a journey that has shaped the last 30 years of my life. The subject of brain surgery was suddenly very much in the forefront of my brain...ever since a six hour surgery had left me with an extra hole in my head (but no cure). What drove the people who could do such a thing (and I don't mean just the physical doing of it. I was definitely more interested in the psychology of a brain surgeon). As I read the book, my brain would occasionally stop and scream "somebody touched me," before allowing me to continue to read. In some ways, all brain surgery leads to a traumatic brain injury. That is, perhaps, the bottom line of this book. It chronicles the formation of a man who can look at a patient, and weigh the risks and gains, factor in that air will hit the brain, and then, still decide to open the cranium and let the air hit the brain.The story of how one young man was formed by the crucible of education and training into one of the creatures called neurosugeons is at times humorous, but always intense. During a period of training out of country, a patient collapses and dies in the hospital. One of the other neurosurgeons describes the situation as "a bit of the hard cheese." (It is during this time overseas that he receives what I must consider the most incredibly bad instruction: the mentoring doctor indicates that one patient's description of their pain is probably mere malingering, as the patient uses some relatively sophisticated language in an attempt to convey its extent. Unfortunately, patients do exist who have extensive vocabularies, and they will use them in attempts to communicate.)But I agree with other reviewers: medical students should find this as required reading. It might help them understand where they are going, and what the journey may be like. It will certainly help them understand where their mentors are coming from. Perhaps, in some way, reading this can serve as a type of brain surgery, and can change how our new crops of doctors work - since "you're never the same once the air hits your brain."
This book made me cry. Okay, not cry per se, but Vertosick's surprisingly masterful prose really does make his cases come to life. Consider his response to his treatment of one elderly woman by relieving her of a brain tumor: "In my career, Mrs. Janeway was truly a landmark case. If I never accomplish another thing in my life, I will go to my grave satisfied. I will not walk on the moon, or win the Nobel Prize, or live in the White House. But the rare privilege of snatching someone from a nursing home and giving her back her mind, her life, her family ... I wouldn't trade that for the world."From that short paragraph, you may think it's just Vertosick the prideful neurosurgeon speaking, but he goes on to talk about how small events affect every part of our lives (yes, the "butterfly effect"), and how he wasn't destined to become a great neurosurgeon, but rather a series of seeming mistakes or random occurrences led to it instead. He's actually a pretty humble guy, all in all (of course my information is from his own memoir, but nevertheless...), and he speaks about his own failures as well as his successes.Definitely an inspiring book, especially if at all you are considering going into medicine.
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In high school, I stumbled upon this on a clearance shelf and after reading it decided I should focus on medical school, not vet school, like I had planned. Many books written by doctors either dumb things down too much, assuming a reader is stupid, or are just plain dull, but this book was just right for me. I was (and still am) in love with medical topics, but this book turned me on the to crazy world of neuroscience. Total disclosure: my stint as a neuroscience major lasted only about three months in college. Despite that, I'm still glad I found this book and the author got me hooked on the topics.
—Elizabeth
A great read. This is the journey of a man going from med student into Neurosurgery and some memorable stories along the way. How those patients affected him even when the outcome was bad. A story about the wonders of the brain and it's incredible fragility as well as it's strength. As a nurse I enjoyed this book. As a patient I realize that my fears of neurosurgery are well founded. Neurosurgery is learned through practice with another board certified Neurosurgeon near (maybe in the next room...but near)...oops moments happen, but in the brain, the margin for error can be miniscule. Still glad to know what one is dealing with rather than a fairy tale.
—Pat
Vertosick lets readers tag along as he moves from medical student to intern to resident and up the chain of command supervising others in a hospital setting. Yes, his book provides interesting case studies full of technical detail. It also lets us see how surgeons are all-too-human: skill isn't innate, it comes with practice; there's a bit of infighting between neurologists and neurosurgeons; everyone's sleep deprived; there are hazing rituals; most surgeons are arrogant; and nobody is perfect. Nevertheless, I was very interested to get the nitty gritty detail on this profession. Hidden in the last few pages of the book is a meditation on the fact that everybody dies. Vertosick describes the planned obsolescence of the human body, the evolutionary advantage for the species of winnowing out flawed design, and the absurdity of thinking nature could produce organisms that never corrupt. It's a harsh reality but one that everyone has to deal with at some point. As a surgeon, he's confronted with the reality of death every day. And here is a "gee whiz" for fans of House M.D. This book was published almost a decade before House M.D. aired, and I swear it's an influence. There is a resident named Eric Foreman, and there is an arrogant doctor named Gary (close to Gregory) who has bad bedside manners, is full of insults for others, he makes bets and he even yells, "The game's afoot" to his interns. Hmmmmmm.
—Karen