This is a work of non-fiction, as perceived by the electrical and chemical exchanges within my brain. However, in a few instances, the haze of those things partially erased certain details of a memory, making a nurse�s name, exact features, or the exact content of a conversation elude me. In writing about those memories, I have taken a few liberties, as opposed to leaving them out, for which I hope the reader will find understanding. That being said, the bulk of the book is non-fiction. I have been as accurate as any heart patient can be when shackled with pain meds, beta-blockers, LDL-lowering capsules, stents, by-pass surgery, the twenty-four hour circus of the emergency room, EKG�s , and a mosaic of other heart-healthy devices. I have also double checked my facts to correct the occasional misfiring which may have occurred in my skull, researching medical records and checking with others to verify my recollections.

This is a work of non-fiction, as perceived by the electrical and chemical exchanges within my brain. However, in a few instances, the haze of those things partially erased certain details of a memory, making a nurse�s name, exact features, or the exact content of a conversation elude me. In writing about those memories, I have taken a few liberties, as opposed to leaving them out, for which I hope the reader will find understanding. That being said, the bulk of the book is non-fiction. I have been as accurate as any heart patient can be when shackled with pain meds, beta-blockers, LDL-lowering capsules, stents, by-pass surgery, the twenty-four hour circus of the emergency room, EKG�s , and a mosaic of other heart-healthy devices. I have also double checked my facts to correct the occasional misfiring which may have occurred in my skull, researching medical records and checking with others to verify my recollections.

This is a work of non-fiction, as perceived by the electrical and chemical exchanges within my brain. However, in a few instances, the haze of those things partially erased certain details of a memory, making a nurse�s name, exact features, or the exact content of a conversation elude me. In writing about those memories, I have taken a few liberties, as opposed to leaving them out, for which I hope the reader will find understanding. That being said, the bulk of the book is non-fiction. I have been as accurate as any heart patient can be when shackled with pain meds, beta-blockers, LDL-lowering capsules, stents, by-pass surgery, the twenty-four hour circus of the emergency room, EKG�s , and a mosaic of other heart-healthy devices. I have also double checked my facts to correct the occasional misfiring which may have occurred in my skull, researching medical records and checking with others to verify my recollections.

Book Summary: Jude, a normal girl until the age of three, was diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Major that taught her to live life with passion and to be grateful for all her blessings. During the same year of Jude�s diagnosis, her sister Sarah was diagnosed with the same genetic blood disorder, leaving both their parents heartbroken. Although Jude hated Thalassemia at times, blamed herself for all the struggles she faced, she made herself believe that enduring pain will make her stronger. Both sisters have kept Thalassemia a secret from their closest friends in order for them not to be treated differently. They were there for each other no matter what challenge they had facing them. It is a heartfelt and touching journey that unravels the unbroken sisterly bond, inner strength and the constant struggle that never seems to end.

Book Summary: Jude, a normal girl until the age of three, was diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Major that taught her to live life with passion and to be grateful for all her blessings. During the same year of Jude�s diagnosis, her sister Sarah was diagnosed with the same genetic blood disorder, leaving both their parents heartbroken. Although Jude hated Thalassemia at times, blamed herself for all the struggles she faced, she made herself believe that enduring pain will make her stronger. Both sisters have kept Thalassemia a secret from their closest friends in order for them not to be treated differently. They were there for each other no matter what challenge they had facing them. It is a heartfelt and touching journey that unravels the unbroken sisterly bond, inner strength and the constant struggle that never seems to end.

Book Summary: Jude, a normal girl until the age of three, was diagnosed with Beta Thalassemia Major that taught her to live life with passion and to be grateful for all her blessings. During the same year of Jude�s diagnosis, her sister Sarah was diagnosed with the same genetic blood disorder, leaving both their parents heartbroken. Although Jude hated Thalassemia at times, blamed herself for all the struggles she faced, she made herself believe that enduring pain will make her stronger. Both sisters have kept Thalassemia a secret from their closest friends in order for them not to be treated differently. They were there for each other no matter what challenge they had facing them. It is a heartfelt and touching journey that unravels the unbroken sisterly bond, inner strength and the constant struggle that never seems to end.

I wrote a personal story motivated by the urge to chronicle what struck me as a unique and unusual developmental social and professional life. I hope the story will interest the readers. I certainly relished the nostalgia and recollections of the past from the humble beginnings, and reaching the top with success in a manner from which the origins cannot be told or surmised. The purpose is not to glorify poverty nor encourage social upbringing in an environment devoid of parental support, but to indicate the inherent resilience of a human being. It is possible to survive and succeed despite adverse circumstances, if among other factors, one gets lucky breaks or your journey enjoys fortunate events. In my case, success was certainly almost entirely the result of lucky strokes and unexplained events which came to the rescue at the right time and in the correct manner. The morrow was miraculously shaped without concerted planning. Assistance that came from various unsolicited quarters, testified to inherent good nature of people. In many a situation similar to mine, the environment can be a fatal and destructive derailment. One had to have the ability to learn quickly and to have the potential to avoid pitfalls.

I wrote a personal story motivated by the urge to chronicle what struck me as a unique and unusual developmental social and professional life. I hope the story will interest the readers. I certainly relished the nostalgia and recollections of the past from the humble beginnings, and reaching the top with success in a manner from which the origins cannot be told or surmised. The purpose is not to glorify poverty nor encourage social upbringing in an environment devoid of parental support, but to indicate the inherent resilience of a human being. It is possible to survive and succeed despite adverse circumstances, if among other factors, one gets lucky breaks or your journey enjoys fortunate events. In my case, success was certainly almost entirely the result of lucky strokes and unexplained events which came to the rescue at the right time and in the correct manner. The morrow was miraculously shaped without concerted planning. Assistance that came from various unsolicited quarters, testified to inherent good nature of people. In many a situation similar to mine, the environment can be a fatal and destructive derailment. One had to have the ability to learn quickly and to have the potential to avoid pitfalls.

Good Times in the Hospital is a collection of unlikely stories, poignant vignettes, and humorous anecdotes gathered from a lifetime of experience with real doctors and patients. As the setting moves from Duke University Medical School, to The Mayo Clinic, to an inner-city charity hospital, to a military hospital, to private hospitals in metropolitan centers and rural towns, this inside look at hospital life allows the reader to gradually gain a new perspective on medical men and women: They are not much different from the rest of us. After forty years of medical education and hospital practice, the author concludes that, �Doctors are no worse than other people.� As for the patients in these stories�although hospitals are engaged in the most serious business imaginable�you cannot find more laugh-out-loud behavior anywhere. This is because when people are seeking medical care, they are vulnerable and reveal their true, inner selves. And, it turns out that the true, inner selves of most people are often some combination of fascinating, inexplicable, and ridiculous. To paraphrase a quote by Mel Brooks: �So long as this old world keeps spinning around and around, every person riding on it will occasionally get dizzy and do something stupid.� Good Times in the Hospital reminds us that it is unhealthy to take life too seriously and a lighthearted temperament is just as important as a sound diet. This point of view makes it possible for one book to combine a rare glimpse inside the hospital, an informative look at health care, and an entertaining collection of anecdotes. There are chapters about juvenile practical jokes among medical students, mistakes by doctors in training, serious life lessons learned at the bedside, hospital affairs that end badly, doctors threatening other doctors with handguns, a girl who tries to stop her grandma�s pacemaker with an MR scanner, an identical twin who has the surgery intended for her sister, an old man patiently waiting his turn in a charity hospital emergency room while holding his intestines in his hand, boyhood memories of a doctor who accompanied his father making house calls, a doctor who missed his chance to win a Nobel Prize by not listening to his patient, an intriguing case of domestic abuse, fascinating hypochondriacs, insights into why intelligent people spend their last dollar on irrational treatments, amazing examples of cures by mind over matter, the importance of our attitude on our wellness, and even reflections on the question of medical miracles. Is it appropriate to laugh at the behavior of doctors attending their patients and entertain ourselves with yarns of patients in their sickbed? Good Times in the Hospital promotes the viewpoint that the best way to deal with our inevitable foibles is to laugh about them. The author says, �If you believe that some things are sacrosanct and immune from humor, you are reading the wrong book.� In an epilogue following this rich tapestry of medical tales, the author offers some final thoughts on how to sort through medical advice, a discussion of alternative medicine, the real effect of malpractice lawsuits on doctors, and the responsibility of patients for their own health. This epilogue is a rare opportunity to hear from an experienced, retired physician on such matters. Such frank opinions are virtually never discussed by doctors in practice, who must be circumspect in what they say for fear of alienating their patients, losing their insurance coverage, or becoming the target of a law firm. Mostly though, Good Times in the Hospital is an insightful panoply of true-life stories that illustrate the best and worst of human nature, a chance for the reader to have some fun and learn a little along the way.

Good Times in the Hospital is a collection of unlikely stories, poignant vignettes, and humorous anecdotes gathered from a lifetime of experience with real doctors and patients. As the setting moves from Duke University Medical School, to The Mayo Clinic, to an inner-city charity hospital, to a military hospital, to private hospitals in metropolitan centers and rural towns, this inside look at hospital life allows the reader to gradually gain a new perspective on medical men and women: They are not much different from the rest of us. After forty years of medical education and hospital practice, the author concludes that, �Doctors are no worse than other people.� As for the patients in these stories�although hospitals are engaged in the most serious business imaginable�you cannot find more laugh-out-loud behavior anywhere. This is because when people are seeking medical care, they are vulnerable and reveal their true, inner selves. And, it turns out that the true, inner selves of most people are often some combination of fascinating, inexplicable, and ridiculous. To paraphrase a quote by Mel Brooks: �So long as this old world keeps spinning around and around, every person riding on it will occasionally get dizzy and do something stupid.� Good Times in the Hospital reminds us that it is unhealthy to take life too seriously and a lighthearted temperament is just as important as a sound diet. This point of view makes it possible for one book to combine a rare glimpse inside the hospital, an informative look at health care, and an entertaining collection of anecdotes. There are chapters about juvenile practical jokes among medical students, mistakes by doctors in training, serious life lessons learned at the bedside, hospital affairs that end badly, doctors threatening other doctors with handguns, a girl who tries to stop her grandma�s pacemaker with an MR scanner, an identical twin who has the surgery intended for her sister, an old man patiently waiting his turn in a charity hospital emergency room while holding his intestines in his hand, boyhood memories of a doctor who accompanied his father making house calls, a doctor who missed his chance to win a Nobel Prize by not listening to his patient, an intriguing case of domestic abuse, fascinating hypochondriacs, insights into why intelligent people spend their last dollar on irrational treatments, amazing examples of cures by mind over matter, the importance of our attitude on our wellness, and even reflections on the question of medical miracles. Is it appropriate to laugh at the behavior of doctors attending their patients and entertain ourselves with yarns of patients in their sickbed? Good Times in the Hospital promotes the viewpoint that the best way to deal with our inevitable foibles is to laugh about them. The author says, �If you believe that some things are sacrosanct and immune from humor, you are reading the wrong book.� In an epilogue following this rich tapestry of medical tales, the author offers some final thoughts on how to sort through medical advice, a discussion of alternative medicine, the real effect of malpractice lawsuits on doctors, and the responsibility of patients for their own health. This epilogue is a rare opportunity to hear from an experienced, retired physician on such matters. Such frank opinions are virtually never discussed by doctors in practice, who must be circumspect in what they say for fear of alienating their patients, losing their insurance coverage, or becoming the target of a law firm. Mostly though, Good Times in the Hospital is an insightful panoply of true-life stories that illustrate the best and worst of human nature, a chance for the reader to have some fun and learn a little along the way.

The Life and Promotion of an Abused Woman A little Island in the Caribbean, Grenada, very mountainous, green and well nourished with the fallen, seasonal rain surrounded by water, you can feel the sea breeze as you move around the Island, the beeches with its white sand and the sea glittering from the sun; it is the land of spice where minerals are found in the natural soil, Dr. Mary Johnson was born on that soil, the Island of Grenada. She is a retired nurse, musician, author and missionary to the nation. Acquiring her nursing education in London, England, Mary migrated to America with her husband and two daughters. Despite an abusive marriage, she tried hard to maintain her integrity. It reached the point where the abuse became unbearable and, as a result, filed for divorce. Despite having four children, Mary had to run for her life. In 1972, the bitterly contested divorce became final. Given custody of the four children, she dare not take them, for their father was determined to have them reside with him. He said, angrily, �I�ll kill them all.� Mary kept her sanity by furthering her edu-cation, occupying herself in the nursing profession and engaging in missionary work. In 1983, Mary began missionary work throughout the nations, beginning at her home town, Grenada and other Caribbean Islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Gren-adines, Jamaica and Bolivia � South America. She travelled extensively, beginning with England, India, China, Philippines, Hong Kong, Asia, Israel and Rome, lastly Egypt and Israel. Many years ago the Lord demands that Mary begins to write, supporting her work with scrip-tures. She authored her first book, �Branded for Missions� in 2005. Today, she writes about her life experiences, from childhood to her senior years. She hopes to encourage the readers to main-tain their integrity despite the hard knocks that accompany life in general. You can cope with post-abusive marriage by engaging in activities that will motivate and empower you to move on and succeed in life. Mary used the occasion to better herself academically, socially and spiritually, with the help of God. She also shares her experience with anger and unforgiveness, a painful situation that affects thousands of individuals emotionally and spiritually. Mary experienced childhood abuse, attempted rape, and abusive marriage. She says, in an abusive marriage after a bitter, contested divorce, you have to be prepared for war, especially when young children are involved in the marriage.

The Life and Promotion of an Abused Woman A little Island in the Caribbean, Grenada, very mountainous, green and well nourished with the fallen, seasonal rain surrounded by water, you can feel the sea breeze as you move around the Island, the beeches with its white sand and the sea glittering from the sun; it is the land of spice where minerals are found in the natural soil, Dr. Mary Johnson was born on that soil, the Island of Grenada. She is a retired nurse, musician, author and missionary to the nation. Acquiring her nursing education in London, England, Mary migrated to America with her husband and two daughters. Despite an abusive marriage, she tried hard to maintain her integrity. It reached the point where the abuse became unbearable and, as a result, filed for divorce. Despite having four children, Mary had to run for her life. In 1972, the bitterly contested divorce became final. Given custody of the four children, she dare not take them, for their father was determined to have them reside with him. He said, angrily, �I�ll kill them all.� Mary kept her sanity by furthering her edu-cation, occupying herself in the nursing profession and engaging in missionary work. In 1983, Mary began missionary work throughout the nations, beginning at her home town, Grenada and other Caribbean Islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Gren-adines, Jamaica and Bolivia � South America. She travelled extensively, beginning with England, India, China, Philippines, Hong Kong, Asia, Israel and Rome, lastly Egypt and Israel. Many years ago the Lord demands that Mary begins to write, supporting her work with scrip-tures. She authored her first book, �Branded for Missions� in 2005. Today, she writes about her life experiences, from childhood to her senior years. She hopes to encourage the readers to main-tain their integrity despite the hard knocks that accompany life in general. You can cope with post-abusive marriage by engaging in activities that will motivate and empower you to move on and succeed in life. Mary used the occasion to better herself academically, socially and spiritually, with the help of God. She also shares her experience with anger and unforgiveness, a painful situation that affects thousands of individuals emotionally and spiritually. Mary experienced childhood abuse, attempted rape, and abusive marriage. She says, in an abusive marriage after a bitter, contested divorce, you have to be prepared for war, especially when young children are involved in the marriage.

The Life and Promotion of an Abused Woman A little Island in the Caribbean, Grenada, very mountainous, green and well nourished with the fallen, seasonal rain surrounded by water, you can feel the sea breeze as you move around the Island, the beeches with its white sand and the sea glittering from the sun; it is the land of spice where minerals are found in the natural soil, Dr. Mary Johnson was born on that soil, the Island of Grenada. She is a retired nurse, musician, author and missionary to the nation. Acquiring her nursing education in London, England, Mary migrated to America with her husband and two daughters. Despite an abusive marriage, she tried hard to maintain her integrity. It reached the point where the abuse became unbearable and, as a result, filed for divorce. Despite having four children, Mary had to run for her life. In 1972, the bitterly contested divorce became final. Given custody of the four children, she dare not take them, for their father was determined to have them reside with him. He said, angrily, �I�ll kill them all.� Mary kept her sanity by furthering her edu-cation, occupying herself in the nursing profession and engaging in missionary work. In 1983, Mary began missionary work throughout the nations, beginning at her home town, Grenada and other Caribbean Islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Gren-adines, Jamaica and Bolivia � South America. She travelled extensively, beginning with England, India, China, Philippines, Hong Kong, Asia, Israel and Rome, lastly Egypt and Israel. Many years ago the Lord demands that Mary begins to write, supporting her work with scrip-tures. She authored her first book, �Branded for Missions� in 2005. Today, she writes about her life experiences, from childhood to her senior years. She hopes to encourage the readers to main-tain their integrity despite the hard knocks that accompany life in general. You can cope with post-abusive marriage by engaging in activities that will motivate and empower you to move on and succeed in life. Mary used the occasion to better herself academically, socially and spiritually, with the help of God. She also shares her experience with anger and unforgiveness, a painful situation that affects thousands of individuals emotionally and spiritually. Mary experienced childhood abuse, attempted rape, and abusive marriage. She says, in an abusive marriage after a bitter, contested divorce, you have to be prepared for war, especially when young children are involved in the marriage.

This book will help the reader see some of the experiences that have made up the life of this remarkable man, Dr. Robert W. Christensen. It will give the reader an idea of the innovative and entrepreneurial genius of a surgeon who was looking for ways to alleviate some of the misery of several human conditions. It is factual, sometimes graphic, but mostly very interesting and informative. The reader will be captivated page after page. The essence of this book is about the courage in the face of significant opposition from the establishment and Dr. Christensen�s dependence upon God. His desire to teach professionals as well as ordinary people who were plagued with various maladies is well presented. All who read this book will be blessed.

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����������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� Dr. James T. Curry

��������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������� Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

This book will help the reader see some of the experiences that have made up the life of this remarkable man, Dr. Robert W. Christensen. It will give the reader an idea of the innovative and entrepreneurial genius of a surgeon who was looking for ways to alleviate some of the misery of several human conditions. It is factual, sometimes graphic, but mostly very interesting and informative. The reader will be captivated page after page. The essence of this book is about the courage in the face of significant opposition from the establishment and Dr. Christensen�s dependence upon God. His desire to teach professionals as well as ordinary people who were plagued with various maladies is well presented. All who read this book will be blessed.

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����������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� Dr. James T. Curry

��������������������������������������������������������� �������������������������� Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon