A famous brain surgeon and his good friend had grown up in the same city and over the years spent as much spare time as possible doing things together.
But their ways began to grow apart when the surgeon’s friend started making some poor decisions. The surgeon warned him.
“You have no idea how many mind-warping, brain tumors I’ve had to operate on because of that drug you want to mess with. Once one of those tumors gets going, it changes you. Nothing will matter to you anymore except what you want. And then, by the time some patients have wanted help, we’ve had to restrain and sedate them in order to get them under the knife. That tumor gets them thinking that we are out to kill them. Things get ugly.
Listen. Stop now while you still have your wits about you. Think of your wife and family. That drug will rob you of them and our friendship and everything that matters to you.”
But his friend ignored him and, sure enough, in a matter of months, it was evident that a tumor had begun to grow. His friend went from being a gracious, thoughtful man, to becoming distant and self-absorbed. If something didn’t matter to him, it didn’t matter at all. His wife and children felt completely shut out of his life and ignored.
A year went by until one day the surgeon was informed that his friend was in the hospital lobby inquiring for him. Excited, he rushed to the lobby. He hoped to have him admitted on the spot and prepped for surgery.
But upon seeing him in his surgical scrubs, his friend exploded in a rage. He screamed, “oh no you don’t!” and lunged at the surgeon to strangle him. Thankfully, several staff who had come with the surgeon intervened. An intense struggle ensued after which they finally got him restrained and strapped down on a gurney.
In order to limit the number of possible ugly meltdowns, the surgeon set aside as many pre-operative protocols as he possibly could.
But there was one that the surgeon insisted on: he would not do the surgery without his friend’s consent.
For days the surgeon spent every spare moment he had with him in hopes of hearing that all-important “yes” to do surgery. But even though the surgeon was as lovingly gentle as could be, all he got were screamed abuses and blame for his friends distress.
Then, one day after one more routine fit of rage against the surgeon, the restraints, and all the misery, his friend screamed, “fine! do the surgery! Please do it now!”
Well, did the surgeon do it? Was he successful? Of course he was! You’re doing o.k. now, aren’t you?
