Surgeon's Story: Kids, Transplants, the Red Sox, and the Glass Ceiling

by Mark Oristano, Kristine Guleserian MD

Surgeon's Story is the story of the life and career of Dr. Kristine Guleserian, a pediatric heart surgeon who operates on the walnut-sized hearts of newborn babies. One of only 9 women in the U.S. board certified in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. G, as she's known, spent years learning her highly specialized trade. In the book, you'll meet Andrew Madden, the teenaged boy from West Texas who, only three weeks after his heart transplant, threw out the first pitch at a World Series game for his beloved Boston Red Sox. You'll meet two-year old Rylynn, a tough little fighter whose wait for a donor heart stretched into months in the ICU before culminating in a dramatic, night-long surgery. And you'll meet Dr. G, and learn about her education, her training, and most of all her selfless dedication to her patients and her craft. Dr. Guleserian opens up completely about life as a female surgeon, the obstacles she had to overcome to reach her position, and the constant challenges facing surgeons who operate on the tiniest patients. You'll also be charmed by Dr. G's incredible humor. This is, after all, a woman whose motto is, "If you can't operate in heels... you can't operate."

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2018

About the author

After growing up in suburban New York, Mark attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, majoring in broadcast journalism. After his junior year he was hired as a sports reporter by WFAA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Dallas, where he worked with sports director Verne Lundquist. He also anchored in Nashville, where his co-anchor was Oprah Winfrey.
Mark broadcast NFL games for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Oilers. His first book, A SPORTSCASTER'S GUIDE TO WATCHING FOOTBALL, sold out it's first run.
His new book, SURGEON'S STORY, with pediatric heart surgeon Dr. Kristine Guleserian, is coming out in January.

Reviews

[Emir Akel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great insight into the life of a pediatric heart surgeon. The book is a blend of interviews and observations Mark Oristano has conducted during his time with Harvard Graduate Dr. Kristine Guleserian, as well as his observations of various operations he has watched by the surgeon’s side. The best part of the book I believe are the stories of severely ill patients (children) with heart defects getting treated with complex procedures. The book also helps you learn the more basic reasons of congenital heart defects that helps you navigate through various procedures while you read. I highly recommend this book to aspiring doctors and surgeons to get a good insight into the life and mind of a surgeon.

[David Stine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted this book because Dr. G will perform heart surgery on our soon-to-be-born son next week. It's an amazing story about a remarkable woman.