Edgar Tafel and Me

Edgar Tafel 1912-2011

I learned this week of the death of Edgar Tafel-a noted architect and also Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) Fellow and Historian.  I am connected to Edgar because I live in the first house he ever designed and built (after he left the FLW Fellowship).  After we moved in to this unique and special home, we contacted Edgar who graciously came to visit us-beginning a friendship of many years.  Over a rainy-day lunch, he regaled us with talk of building this home for his parents, architectural history, stories of FLW, and his own personal history of loves, careers, and more.  Later, we had him return to deliver an aspiring lecture at our library on FLW followed by a reception in our backyard.  We also had the privilege of visiting him in his townhouse in NYC on several occasions.  Quite by chance, when we bought a small apartment in NYC, it was less than two blocks from his home, to which he had returned full-time.  I last saw him just a few weeks ago-stopping in on a whim while walking my dog.  Last week, I again passed his door with on a canine walk and realized he had died-I can't tell you how but I did.  I returned to my apartment and furiously "googled" him without finding any news.  But just days later, the obituaries appeared.  He was 98! He had lived long and large-seeing so much of modern architecture, art and music-all things he loved dearly.  While he is not a household name, his impact on how homes, places of worship, and college campuses are built will long outlive him.  His gracious and generous endowment to Cornell University will also assure his remarkable legacy.  Tonight I will say Kadish for Edgar Tafel.

The Albert House

First Presby Church NYC (Village)

This Boy, A Memorial

This boy came into the world not fully closed
And his mother gave him to me
And I closed him

This boy came into the world with too much fluid
And his other entrusted him to me
And I drained him

Then the years passed and this boy grew
His mind expanded though his feet hung still
And together they were happy

As the years passed, I watched this boy
I marveled at his spirit and his family
And he made me smile

One day, this boy got dizzy and his head ached
He told his mother to come see me
And I knew he was sick

This boy came to my hospital
His mother gave him to me again
And I fixed his drain

The next day, this boy was happy
I saw his spirit return the ache disappear
And we all smiled

At home, this boy played and ate ice cream
He laughed and read books
Then he went to sleep and never woke up


To J, 
I hope you are running in heaven.  Tell the angels to send your mother, father and all your brothers and sisters strength-we all miss you.

No Hair Shave

I used to love the feel
The straight blade gently caressing
Strands falling away
Skin baby soft
A perfect palette to start
Wrapped tightly in white when done

No more
No more

Now I do parts and braids
Tediously planning the cut
And then the surgery done
More work to restore clean and tangle-free
Smiles reflected in the mirror
Change is good.

Loss

Grief in Philadelphia

I saw him for the first time since
Had to be sad coming to where her light had formerly shone so bright
Too many memories crowding in
No place to hide
I knew the sadness in his eyes.

He asked if I had seen the art
I knew he needed to get away from the crowds
I took his arm and walked him through
His eyes missed Van Gogh, Matisse and more
Not as much as his heart missed her.

To my dear friend-if you read, know you are not alone and know too that it takes time and that I and others are here if you want us.

Dorothy Height

This special lady died this week at the age of 98.  Her name may not roll off the tongue like Martin Luther King, Jr., Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D., or Susan B. Anthony but this diminutive woman did so much for women (and blacks and all of humanity) that women like me who have become professionals (and particularly in male dominated fields) have much to thank her for.
Dr. Height was born in 1912 and won a scholarship to Barnard College based on her oratorical skills (though she attended NYU).  After achieving her bachelor's and master degrees and advanced study in Social Work, she began her lifelong crusade for equality and equal opportunity.  She also worked tirelessly for voter registration and education.  Presidents from Roosevelt to Reagan to Bush to Obama trusted her as advisor and honored her accomplishments.  May said she had the most remarkable ability to reach across barriers-between women and men, white and those of color, rich and poor. For more details and moving photographs, see NPR's indepth coverage, the National Council of Negro Women (she was Chair and President Emerita), or read her amazing memoir Open Wide the Freedom Gates.

In "Tell Me More", Jennifer Longmire-Wright captures much of Dorothy's essence:
Dr. Height was a bridge-builder who understood that we all had something to gain from coming together.  She...said that there is strength in numbers.  It's okay to ask for help.

One of her stands particularly struck home with me so I will close this tribute with:

The younger generations, she said, are the beneficiaries of what a lot of people worked and gave their lives for. It is important for the young to get organized in how they will serve others, because when people work for something bigger than themselves, there's no way they can help but grow.

Transplant and the Neurosurgeon

One of the things I love about blogging is how a link leads to a link leads to a great story.  SurgeXperiences 319 (available here ) related a link about Steve Jobs and his liver transplant. Most neurosurgeons spend a part of their residency learning the ins and outs of brain death testing-a critical link in the transplant world.  At first it may seem gruesome and unnatural but most of us quickly realize the how many lives are touched by an organ donor.  Since that time, I spent years working closely with the New York Organ Donor Network on public awareness and education programs because of the ever growing disparity between the need and availability of transplantable organs.  The fact is that the success of modern surgical transplantation has far outstripped our supply for these critically ill patients.  Once in a while, a celebrity like Mickey Mantle, grabs some headlines and we all hope that more universal acceptance of organ donation will take root.  Now, two giants-Arnold Schwarzenegger and Steve Jobs are taking the battle on.  Until technology leapfrogs us beyond the need for human organs, let us hope a much higher percentage of Americans will become designated organ donors-it only takes a minute!  Watch Job's video -it is inspiring.

First Meeting

ICU: First Meeting

Wash hands

Step over the red line

Irish gentleman

Stripped of dignity and clothes

"No stroke" I say

Small smile

Something else entirely

The tears collect

I dab his ruddy cheeks softly

Please tell my sons

"Surgery tomorrow" I say

No smile, tears again

Tell me now, I need to know

And so I sit and we talk

Holding hands

Lost Friends

Recently, I and all of neurosurgery lost two friends.  No death is ever easy but some losses are felt more acutely and for me this is true for the deaths of both Robert Ojemann, MD and Ilona Quest.  

Robert Ojemann
I only had the honor and privilege of interacting with Dr. Ojemann on a few occasions.  He was the quintessential gentleman, scholar and teacher.  During my training, his name was up there in the stratosphere. He was a master surgeon, researcher and administrator; one of the few to hold the top position in nearly all of neurosurgery's national organizations.  So when I encountered him,  I was prepared to be "brushed aside"-quite the contrary.  He went out of his way to comment on a recent talk he had heard me give and to compliment me!  It was obvious that he was still keenly interested in all that was neurosurgery and held respect for those who worked seriously and tirelessly to move the specialty forward to better help our patients.  For all his dedication, hard work, and enormous success, I showed me honest respect that helped propel me forward in my career. What a great role model. We will all miss his wisdom, intelligence and honesty.
Ilona Quest
No one I know that ever met Ilona Quest, the lovely and gracious wife of Donald Quest, MD (past-AANS president, ABNS, RRC, Senior Society, Professor Columbia), ever walked away feeling anything less than cherished. She was an amazing woman who provided the foundation that allowed her husband to flourish and succeed as a world class neurosurgeon.  But Ilona was more than just the woman behind the great man. She worked tirelessly to enrich our meetings in a multitude of ways.  I firmly believe she was also a great force behind her husbands unfailing support for women entering neurosurgery (for which he was recognized with the coveted "Friends of WINS Award" (Friends of WINS Award).  It was a cruel twist of fate that she succumbed to a neurosurgical emergency.  I last saw her in New Orleans-we hugged and talked while Don performed his jazz on-stage.  I was again struck by her ability to recount details about my family who she had never met and talk about the state of my career.  She made me feel very special-that is a great gift.  My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. Tonight I said Kaddish for her.