Medical science and the skill of the individuals involved has truly enriched our world. There are awesome moments like watching the patient wake up after having been disassembled and repaired the way you describe. It is a fragile thing, however. I’ve seen great successes where it’s amazing that they can “fix it”. I’ve lost people close to me where they, well, just didn’t know how to fix it, although not for lack of trying. I’ve seen a case where they almost fixed it, leaving a healthy body and a consciousness with some odd gaps where things didn’t quite come together as planned.

We’re thankful of course for the amazing successes, and have to keep doing the research to learn what we can about the rest.

Thanks for the blog!

Son #1, Elliot, was born there on Sept 20, 1989….nearly in the foyer!

Hobbled through that same foyer to have my kneecap reconstructed there in 1985 after after a bicycle messenger knocked me down in front of 100 Fifth Avenue. I was delivering pictures to the editors at Abrams when kaboom….life takes a turn…. The book? “The History of Theatre in NY”. Should have gotten a Tony for all the wear and tear that day!

Hope everything is ok, Lee. Always look forward to your 500 Woids on Toyzdays.

Brilliant post, superbly written as usual. You are indeed a great writer–powerful, economical style and more importantly, great awareness.

As you know, I’ve spent far too much time in hospital beds and under the knife. Nothing as serious as a heart operation, orthopedic stuff. I did wake up during the middle of a hip replacement, doctors and nurses screaming at me “Don’t move.” The surgeon showed me the piece of hipbone he had cut from me; I asked if I could have it to wear around my neck, but he said “no way–this is going to the lab.” Then they pumped me with more anesthesia and I lost consciousness. Where was I?

I thought a lot about the differences between the mind and the brain; the human spirit and the soul. I recall that in the 19th century a famous doctor tried measuring the soul by weighing living tubercular patients, then weighing them seconds after they died in front of his eyes. The results? Inconclusive.

Perhaps science will have to turn more to the savants of the East to get a grip on this state we call consciousness. I know that during deep meditation my awareness has completely disappeared for short periods, reaching the place that the Chinese describe as “thoughts of no thoughts.” A paradox, indeed. The Hindus call it the “gap.” It’s supposed to reflect your true self. Is it “you” in a place of universal consciousness–or are you tapping into the 90% of the brain not yet fathomed?

Is it matter–the brain experiencing–or soul? I have come to believe through meditation and paranormal experiences in an essence that survives. I cannot imagine the places reached by those meditators who spend a lifetime in monasteries, taming the brain full-time.

Now we get to the awful (in its original meaning) notion that there may indeed be a God.

Have a good weekend.

Bob