FOREWORD
The story of Kathleen Lowndes is extraordinary. Her courage and strength allowed her to go through a most challenging brain surgery which carried significant risks and included arduous recovery. She had a tremendous amount of faith which allowed her to return to her pre-operative status. She is a true inspiration for anyone.
Once in a while a neurosurgeon meets a patient who truly inspires him/her. For me, Kathleen Lowndes is that patient. Kathleen walked into my clinic with the diagnosis of brain stem cavernous malformation (BSCM). Our discussions revolved around her condition and all the options she had, including the significant risks for surgical removal. This was no ordinary surgery, but Kathleen was no ordinary patient. If left untreated the cavernous malformation in her brain stem would have probably caused repeated hemorrhages and rendered her crippled. Since she had already experienced a few hemorrhages prior to our meeting, this made the issue even more pressing.
The hardest thing for me to accept as a neurosurgeon is to cause neurological deficits in a patient on whom I perform surgery. In Kathleen’s case I knew deep in my heart that it didn’t matter how perfectly the operation went; she would still come out with significant deficits, at least temporarily, and it would take months of recovery for her to get better. But our priority was clear. The goal of the operation was to remove the malformation and, therefore, the risks of further hemorrhage from the lesion.
After our conversation I saw in her eyes that she was really worried. Then, all of a sudden, she brought out her cheerleading baton and did a dance in front of the clinic staff. She certainly came across like a person with extreme agility and energy. She said that she wanted to proceed with the surgery and her goal was to do the same dance with the baton after her recovery. This decision took a tremendous amount of courage and faith on both our parts.
During the weeks after the operation she had to go through lengthy rehabilitation as expected. Although the neurological deterioration after the surgery was somewhat expected, it was very difficult for me to see her in such a condition. At moments I even questioned our decision to proceed with the surgery. She seemed as if she was suffering and depressed. She was not her normal cheerful self in the rehabilitation center.
However, day by day she surprised me with her progress. Her recovery was almost unbelievable. She expressed her desire to be functional again. Her attitude impressed me a great deal. After a few months she returned to the clinic with the same baton and did the same dance. The staff members of the entire clinic witnessed the event with tears in their eyes.
Kathleen’s story empowered me as a surgeon. When surgeons perform invasive procedures with a significant number of risks, it takes a tremendous amount of faith to proceed with the surgery knowing that the patients will be temporarily (sometimes permanently) disabled. Kathleen’s faith and her strong will to recover inspired me not to be afraid of the risks that one takes to achieve the goals of such a surgery. Her success gave me the strength to carry on invasive procedures.
Her story will inspire any person going through difficult times not to give up, but to come through to a full recovery.
Frank P. K. Hsu, MD, PhD
The story of Kathleen Lowndes is extraordinary. Her courage and strength allowed her to go through a most challenging brain surgery which carried significant risks and included arduous recovery. She had a tremendous amount of faith which allowed her to return to her pre-operative status. She is a true inspiration for anyone.
Once in a while a neurosurgeon meets a patient who truly inspires him/her. For me, Kathleen Lowndes is that patient. Kathleen walked into my clinic with the diagnosis of brain stem cavernous malformation (BSCM). Our discussions revolved around her condition and all the options she had, including the significant risks for surgical removal. This was no ordinary surgery, but Kathleen was no ordinary patient. If left untreated the cavernous malformation in her brain stem would have probably caused repeated hemorrhages and rendered her crippled. Since she had already experienced a few hemorrhages prior to our meeting, this made the issue even more pressing.
The hardest thing for me to accept as a neurosurgeon is to cause neurological deficits in a patient on whom I perform surgery. In Kathleen’s case I knew deep in my heart that it didn’t matter how perfectly the operation went; she would still come out with significant deficits, at least temporarily, and it would take months of recovery for her to get better. But our priority was clear. The goal of the operation was to remove the malformation and, therefore, the risks of further hemorrhage from the lesion.
After our conversation I saw in her eyes that she was really worried. Then, all of a sudden, she brought out her cheerleading baton and did a dance in front of the clinic staff. She certainly came across like a person with extreme agility and energy. She said that she wanted to proceed with the surgery and her goal was to do the same dance with the baton after her recovery. This decision took a tremendous amount of courage and faith on both our parts.
During the weeks after the operation she had to go through lengthy rehabilitation as expected. Although the neurological deterioration after the surgery was somewhat expected, it was very difficult for me to see her in such a condition. At moments I even questioned our decision to proceed with the surgery. She seemed as if she was suffering and depressed. She was not her normal cheerful self in the rehabilitation center.
However, day by day she surprised me with her progress. Her recovery was almost unbelievable. She expressed her desire to be functional again. Her attitude impressed me a great deal. After a few months she returned to the clinic with the same baton and did the same dance. The staff members of the entire clinic witnessed the event with tears in their eyes.
Kathleen’s story empowered me as a surgeon. When surgeons perform invasive procedures with a significant number of risks, it takes a tremendous amount of faith to proceed with the surgery knowing that the patients will be temporarily (sometimes permanently) disabled. Kathleen’s faith and her strong will to recover inspired me not to be afraid of the risks that one takes to achieve the goals of such a surgery. Her success gave me the strength to carry on invasive procedures.
Her story will inspire any person going through difficult times not to give up, but to come through to a full recovery.
Frank P. K. Hsu, MD, PhD
PREFACE
There is no school I could have attended to learn how to get the most out of a medical adventure the magnitude of mine. But now I realize that I had been preparing for it my whole life. Here are some of my qualifications.
While in my thirties I took a training course at a hospital to become a hospice volunteer. There, I was taught to listen to the reasons behind the reasons of people’s words and explanations, and to ask enough questions to be certain that I understood their intended meaning.
Decades in the business world taught me responsibility and follow-through. I could never miss a beat and was required to think of every detail.
As a high school teacher for some years, I learned how to organize and how to divide any task into its logical sequence of steps.
Teaching high school English entailed teaching creative writing, with the result that I, the teacher, wrote and published a book. As the saying goes, “If you want to learn something, teach it!”
But the quality which took me the greatest distance was the desire to develop myself further and further, so that I could live even more of my potential.
Although I had earned a master’s degree, when it came time for the medical adventure, the skills I had honed from living life became much more useful than knowledge associated only with the degree. I had to ‘master’ an entirely different set of skills and came to see my life experiences as the most valuable qualifications for the medical outcome of my dreams.
A few of those life experiences which helped me were: giving public speeches, appearing online, co-founding new courses of study for high school academic students, and inspiring others to boost their self-confidence levels. This last activity of inspiring self-confidence became important to me personally.
While doing my part to expand my own self-confidence, I was able (with lots of help) to transform a frightening experience into a remarkable outcome. I learned that the common barrier to miracles of any kind is fear. Melt away fear, miracles appear. That is why this book includes many tools for the melting away of fears.
But the stubborn fears which refused to melt away motivated me to find an effective way to use them – reshaping obstacles into doorways. Magically unbelievable scenarios emerged on the other side of those doorways, making life more interesting than fiction!
As my life experiences continued to become ever more interesting, I was able to thrive in the newness they brought. This progression involves an invisible force and I think of it as partnering with love. Here’s why.
I discovered an unseen force which is more powerful than anything and which takes care of everything. It is called by many names. Instead of using the word ‘God,’ I choose to use such words as ‘invisible force of love,’ ‘energy of love,’ or ‘the river of all-knowledge.’
I state this, so that I might not offend those who call it by another name. Whenever I use these words, please replace them with the name that brings to you the most upliftment and sense of comfort.
However, naming the unseen force is less important than experiencing the special gift of being wrapped in the strength of that force.
May you sense that strength as you live this book with me and as we each partner with love.
Kathleen Lowndes
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