Many years ago, long before I even dreamed of attending medical school, I heard an NPR news story about Dr. Benjamin Carson. He pioneered the hemispherectomy: brain surgery on children which, in order to stop persistent seizures, involved removing half of their brains. Now, most mothers have accused their children of only having half a brain, but I can’t imagine being the one to whom the doctor says “I can help stop your child’s seizures, but I need to take out half of his brain to do so….” To say I was moved is a profound understatement, and I can truly say that the story played a large part in my decision to apply to medical school. And I can also say I got chicken skin while listening to the story.
Fast forward thirty years.
Today I listened to a story on……NPR….regarding 3d printing. Now this stuff is pure science fiction to me. I cannot comprehend the technology involved. The story, however, moved me in the same way the Dr. Carson one did.
The collaboration of a Washington State man and one in South Africa led to the development of a prosthetic hand for children born with missing fingers. I sat in the parking lot at work, unwilling to turn off the car until I had heard the whole story. As the reporter stated, this may revolutionize the industry of prosthetics, and improve the lives of thousands of those who have lost limbs.
Chicken Skin indeed! I only wish I had a few thousand bucks to invest……
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