as someone at the U of Arkansas COM, i know that it was quite a shock around campus and around the state to lose a surgeon who had done such remarkable and groundbreaking work. the timing was especially odd to everyone. just two days before, the boy that had survived on a mini heart pump for, i believe, a month and was the first to be succesfully transplanted went home. dr. drummond-webb also called the boy on christmas day and then committed suicide that night.
quite a few details of the suicide note have been released in one of the small local papers, but i'm not going to give the name or the link out of respect. i will say that it indeed showed a deeply troubled man.
after having a fellow student commit suicide earlier this year and then dr. drummond-webb, it has made all of us more keenly aware of the need to watch out for each other. i would encourage all of you to do the same. from what i've heard those around these two couldn't tell there were any problems. maybe there was, maybe there wasn't or maybe it's because we don't find what we're not trying to look for.
it's a tragedy to lose anyone to suicide. i can tell you it's had an effect on our class. gone are the flippant comments realted to suicide that used to come around test times. it's just not funny here anymore.
so please, watch out for your classmates and colleagues. encourage and support those that need help. find balance in your life. medicine cannot consume you. i don't want to get so wrapped up in saving others lives, that i lose the lives of my friends.
john
