an dropping star of Gynecology- Dr Andrew Chen

dont remember what was the first surgery I did when I was young, but, I still remember I was so anxiously waiting to be growing like my teacher- Proffesor Andrew Chen, around the year of 1970, he just finished his post Doctor training from Johns Hopkins Hospital of Baltimore of United States. and becomming the most brilliant star in the field of Gynecology at Taiwan at that time, as I remembered, he always talking with English fluently in the morning meeting, and not any other professor can do that at that time, by the way he did the surgery, the way he talked, the way he dressed, the car he drived, from my point of view, he just like an unreachble star to me, that made me to go on this way of no return- to be an Gynecologic surgeon! 30 years passed, I am now a pretty good surgeon as the old day he was, but, I always think of him, he was almost forgotten by this generation now, but, still deeply in my mind. he was the first gentleman who started my career, who opened my eyes, and who taught me how to make myself like an gentleman....

Many years passed, I still keep this photo, that reminds me that the world is so much interesting, I remember I just took 2 minutes to make up my mind to go to Himalayan Mountain of northern India, and that was the most wonderful travel I have had of my life, going to the top of the world just with my friends, not with tours, just three persons, with my own guide driving a four wheel jeep searching of the novelty of the unreachble world.. visiting the thousand years old lama temple, been surprised of the young little lama students in their class, so many years passed, but, I would never forget this...

I feel so tired, I have been doing this sort of job for more than 25 years already, but, there is no 100% the same problem of my patients, that means I have to solve those 100 % different problem every day, isn`t it an wonderful job? each time I did my surgery with my all out effort and concentration, I feel satisfied at the end of the surgery, althogh I feel such tired after each surgery, but, I soon recovered from this situation, when I always got the idea that I am the tool of God! standing on this position, because God want me to stand here! I will feel much better and recoverd of myself very soon! if, you dont feel good of your life style, then go traveling, feel the world, there will be something changed..

this old photo was taken when I was traveling at Himalayan mountain of north India 1998

夢回 Emory

二十年前的往事，昨夜又回到夢裡…當年，經方才不過三歲多；麒方不滿一歲半，和我的愛妻惠美一家四口遠赴他鄉。直到二十年後，我仍常想起當年的決心和勇氣不知從那裡來的，當時才四十出頭的我，事業如曰正中天，卻毅然地決心放下美好的一切；留學他鄉，這一決定，完全改變了我一生醫療事業的方向，也完全改變了惠美、經方和麒方的生活與他們一生的方向。
南方的亞特蘭大，飄的故鄉，鮮明的南方聯邦的色彩，依然告訴著南方子民南方多彩絢麗的往事，博物館裡、學校裡及政府機關裡，仍然飄揚著南方聯邦的旗幟，輕輕喚著南方子民，先人曾經為了維護南方的生活方式所作過的努力及犧牲…往事已矣，有時在大學醫院裡還會聽到兩個人的對話：我的曾祖父和你的曾祖父曾經在亞特蘭大的圍城戰役中互相對戰過！這種談話內容己不只聽到一次了。
一家人在假曰就開著我那一輛舊的Mustang 敞蓬車，到處去旅行，最常去的是stone mountain national park，，離Decater開車約二、三十分鐘只需走local就會到，孩子們快樂無憂的童年有多少日子是在這裡過的，在這無憂的日子裡，也有不少快樂清幽的時光是在Emory University 校園旁的Moon Lake Park 的森林中散步渡過的，二十年後，雖孩子們皆巳成長；不復記憶兒時的歲月；但在這二十年的漫漫時光裡，美麗清晰的往日卻常在我夢裡重來.....

概括承受的氣魄

當一個醫師默默地接下了別的醫師的手術失敗後的爛攤子時，需要極高的勇氣與極豐富的手術經驗、非常純熟的手術技術及對該手術領域的充份了解之外；更需要的是：要有一股不畏艱難的迎向挑戰的氣勢，最重要的是要有寬廣仁慈的胸懷、不去批判前一個醫師的過失與錯誤！這才是令人欽佩的〝概括承受〞的精神！敢承接就表示了他的能力勇氣與道德與氣度。要不然，就應該自己承認能力與修練尚不足以承接而請另請高明才對！這是台灣醫界、甚至是全世界醫界的共識。
最近，常看到政界的人士總要把自己所犯的錯與自己能力不足，推託到前人身上去，總不自我反省是否自我能力欠缺或自我的判斷錯誤，或沒有能力及時有正確而能令人信服的反應與作為，自己找盡口推託卸責，或以屬下作為替死鬼，以掩式能力的低劣。為政者，敢在其位、敢作其事、敢負全責的氣魄要顯現出來給全台灣人看！給全中國的人看！讓全世界的人看！而不把責任推給上一任的人。這才是一個敢於〝概括承受〞的政治家的風範！這一方面的情操，搞政治的政客其實比起醫師的情操差得太遠了！難怪，大專聯考時醫學院的還是第一流的學生啊！至於搞政治的嘛，就看人嘍﹎

牧羊犬與羊群

在中國昆山宗仁卿紀念醫院的大廳裹，很驚訝地看到一幅有一層樓高的大壁畫，畫著一幅耶穌基督在野地裡放牧羊群的畫，閃過我心中的，是一種深深的感動，不知有幾位醫師會在此駐足時與我有同樣的感受？這是基督的道，就好比這世間每一個人都有他一生該走的道一樣。一百多年前，傳教士馬偕醫師遠渡大海，來到台灣，在淡水創辦了台灣最早的西醫醫護訓練學校，惨淡經營，歷經他的後代繼續承傳馬偕的博愛，百年的傳承，至今發芽茁壯成為馬偕醫院體系，巍巍的大樹，覆蓋着多少急需慰藉的身體與靈魂，這是馬偕博士他一生的道！而證嚴法師的慈濟，當災難發生在全世界任一角落時，慈濟總是在第一時間出現在苦難的人群當中，這是證嚴法師與慈濟人他們一生的道；當然，也有一些人他們人生的道是每天盯著電腦，進出股市，汲汲營營地走在股道上渡其一生！完全扯不上個人是否擔付任何社會功能。當然，還有更糟的道如：黑道、賭道或偷道﹎不值一提！而醫師們走的又是什麼樣的道呢？三十年的醫療生涯，實在感觸太深了，有幾位醫師能感受到耶穌基督或馬偕醫師，甚至證嚴法師的感動呢，他們走的是〝牧羊道〞！基督是牧羊人，當有離群走失的羊時，醫師們能扮演牧羊犬的角色嗎？離群的羊就是那些身受病苦的患者；而牧羊犬，則代替牧羊人來照顧、來引導他們走回健康而免於病苦的道路。醫師們走的應是〝牧羊道〞啊！但是，有幾位醫師是真正了解你今生該走在怎樣的道上呢？自問我是否能扮演這牧羊犬的角色嗎？