complications

For bookclub last month we read the book "Complications: A Surgeons Notes on an Imperfect Science" by Atul Gawande. I read mostly fictional literature so it took me a while to actually get excited to read it (I finally picked it up this week) but once I started, I couldn't put it down. Gawande writes about his experiences as a surgical intern - it is almost like reading episodes of ER minus all the lovey dovey stuff. He also points out all of the guesswork and intuition that doctors use in medical diagnostics. How fallible all doctors can be regardless of the ability, training and experience they have.

It was especially enjoyable to read because I am married to a doctor. It was fun comparing what I know from John about medicine and what was presented in this book. I can't even tell you how often John will come home and tell me stories that are very similar to the stories in this book - just related to family medicine not surgery of course. Anyway, this is a must read. Not only does it have a cool story about flesh-eating bacteria, but it talks about the dynamics of patient - doctor relationships and how medicine can improve and destroy lives depending on how it is applied.