Available:*
Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | 921 EPSTEIN | Searching... Unknown |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
A world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon shares the lessons of courage, compassion, and resilience that he's learned from his exceptional young patients. Here, Dr. Fred, as he's known to patients, relates the unforgettable experiences he's shared with children--lessons in courage, compassion, love, and hope.
Author Notes
Joshua Horwitz is the author of War of the Whales: A True Story which won a PEN Literary Award in 2015 as the PEN/EO Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Epstein, a pediatric neurosurgeon at New York City's Beth Israel Hospital, has written an inspiring book recounting the struggles of not only his patients, but himself as well. After a long career treating patients for brain injuries and cancer, Epstein recently had a near-fatal bicycle accident that turned the tables on him. Suddenly, the expert surgeon found himself on the receiving end of a scalpel. While the book touches upon his own challenges during the slow recovery and rehabilitation process, Epstein draws more upon the examples of his young patients to successfully banish fear from his life. He candidly examines the lives of not only those patients who have made brilliant recoveries under his care, but also the children who weren't so lucky. The book's title derives from words spoken by Naomi, a four-year-old whose brain tumor would eventually take two surgeries to eradicate. Though the child seemed to inherently understand the gravity of her situation, she made plans: "If I get to five, I'm going to jump rope-backward!" Epstein and Horwitz handle topics such as hope and spiritual awareness gracefully, without being preachy, and the book should serve as an important tool for families or individuals coping with grave illnesses. (Apr. 3) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
A four-year-old tumor patient inspired the title of Epstein's book as well as a new perspective on the lessons adults can learn from children about resiliency in the face of medical crises. Epstein drew on those lessons when he helped establish a neuroscience center at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York and in the midst of his own personal crisis after suffering a head injury and brain damage. He details his journey from a surgeon fascinated by technology to one with a more humanistic approach, which he expresses through touching his patients, talking and listening to them more deeply, and using the wisdom and bravery he has learned from sick kids. He poignantly recalls cases of children who have helped their families deal with the trauma of brain injury even as they themselves have been the ones undergoing gruesome surgery and taxing rehabilitation. Epstein also includes letters and poems from children and parents, conveying the importance of faith and resilience. A truly inspiring book. --Vanessa Bush
Library Journal Review
Epstein, a leading pediatric neurosurgeon and founder of the Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery (INN) at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, presents lessons learned from his many child patients. He begins with a portrait of himself as a boy who struggled with severe learning disabilities, then continues with a description of the INN, which was established with the integral components of love and topnotch technology. Taking its title from a comment by a four year old with a brain tumor, the book dedicates a good deal of space to what Epstein has learned from children while interweaving background on brain and spinal cord problems (he himself suffered a severe head injury, which inspired him to write this). While the narrative rambles somewhat, the life-and-death subject matter and the honest writing make it compelling and sometimes heartrending. Grieving families with seriously ill children will learn about real-life coping behaviors and an excellent medical facility to boot, consumer health collections could use the basic information on brain and spinal cord surgery, and medical professionals would find it inspiring to read about a facility that has found creative ways to provide a caring environment for patients, family, and medical staff. Recommended for all libraries. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/02.]-Alice Hershiser, Reedville, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Excerpts
Excerpts
From If I Get to Five : The title of this book was inspired by one of my young patients. Naomi was only four years old when she arrived at the hospital. I had few surgical options, but I knew I had to do something quickly or she would certainly die. Naomi was a feisty kid with dancing eyes and a willfulness I've rarely seen in adults. During my first conversation with her, she announced defiantly: "If I get to five, I'm going to learn to ride a two-wheeler!" When I saw her each day on rounds, she'd update me on her plans. "If I get to five, I'm going to beat my older brother at tic-tac-toe." "If I get to five, I'm going to jump rope-backward!" I found myself drawing courage from this four-year-old girl. She understood intuitively that to get to five, she needed to look forward to the next level of mastery. She strengthened my resolve to never give up on a child, no matter how daunting the course in front of me appeared. Children like Naomi are geniuses at raising the bar for themselves, clearing the bar, and setting it one notch higher. Working with children raises the bar for me, and for everyone else whose lives they touch. Naomi got to five, and never looked back. Today she's a happy, twenty-nine-year-old woman who loves life. The lesson she taught me still guides me today. Excerpted from If I Get to Five: What Children Can Teach Us about Courage and Character by Fred Epstein, Joshua Horwitz All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Table of Contents
| Prologue | p. 1 |
| 1. Hold Someone's Hand | p. 11 |
| 2. Live in the Moment | p. 39 |
| 3. Face Your Fears | p. 75 |
| 4. Believe in Miracles | p. 99 |
| 5. Play to Your Strengths | p. 131 |
| 6. Love Without Boundaries | p. 159 |
| Epilogue | p. 183 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 189 |
