The scalpel and the soul : encounters with surgery, the supernatural, and the healing power of hope
(Book)

Includes index.

"Based on thirty years of medical experience, The Scalpel and the Soul tells the unspoken stories behind remarkable patients and strange events, and shares the moral and spiritual lessons found in them." "For physicians, supernatural inklings and intrusions are disturbing. Doctors often cannot be candid with colleagues and patients about anomalous events because they are trained to disregard the inexplicable and unbelievable. They are taught to discount the elusive, evanescent powers of the soul. Superstition, omens, and divine spirits smack of foolishness, if not outright madness." "But patients often report the same inexplicable experiences as their caregivers. Life-threatening illness or surgery frequently brings dormant spirituality to life. The soul often needs more than intensive care alone can give, and in moments of crisis the veil that separates the material from the ineffable can be lowered.

The Scalpel and the Soul explores how premonition, intuition, "good luck, " hope, and faith not only become factors in how patients feel but also can literally alter outcomes and save lives; it validates the spiritual manifestations many physicians and medical professionals encounter daily; it empowers patients to voice their spiritual needs when seeking medical help; and, finally, it addresses the mysterious, attractive powers the soul exerts during life-threatening events." "The book concludes with an appendix of "twenty rules to live by" - practical, hard-won advice for patients or their loved ones on how to navigate through surgery or critical care."--BOOK JACKET. (Blackwell).