My Lobotomy

[Josh]

So, tonight I read most of a book entitled "My Lobotomy", the true-story autobiography of a guy named Howard Dully who, at the age of 12 in 1960, was given a frontal lobotomy through the intrigues of his stepmother, even though there was no clinical justification for the procedure.

I first heard about this story on NPR. Fascinating, heartbreaking, and hopeful.

Anyone else familiar with it?

Here's an article on the story:

www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5014080

[Margot]

Geez, Josh! Talk about a taste for the depressing! (No gross pun intended.)
On a slightly different subject, Paul has always been the NPR addict in our home. Although I love it, I have always had plenty of excuses for not tuning in more--small kids, too busy, etc. Since our financial meltdown, though, I have been listening almost non-stop, because it was the only place I could get current, straighforward news about what was going on. Now I'm hooked again The other day I heard a review on a book called "Musicophelia." Have you heard of it? I thought of you. Its stories of how people's neurological differences--both through trauma and biology--changed the entire way they percieve music. Absolutely facinating!!!! I can hardly wait to get my paws on it. Both Paul and Daniel have really piqued my interest about the brain-music relationship. (I actually saw the book on sale the other day, but I have already spent too much this month ) You might want to check it out online.

[robin]

Laine and I watched the same NPR program a few months back. It sickened me to see what happed to that poor boy. I personally had troubles watching it, but it is certainly worth the time.

Robin

[Josh]

Well, one thing I really liked about it was that just about the only positive people in his early life were a Christian couple who showed him unconditional love, took him on fun outings (which his real family almost never did), took him to church, and attempted to intervene with the decision to get the lobotomy. It just made me think how important it is that we not only care about our own nuclear families, but make a difference in the lives of kids who are growing up with so much trauma.

His relationship with his father was the most difficult thing to read about. His dad had been against the lobotomy, but caved in. At the end he interviews his father (for NPR) on all of this and his dad, in his pride, cannot bring himself to even say that he loves his son or hug him. He's got these horrible views from his experience with Christian Science that he clings onto, like not dwelling on negative ideas or regrets from the past, that almost totally prohibits him from repenting and restoring a real relationship with his son. That part was really hard to read (tearing up at the Borders cafe)

But, anyway, Howard's resilience is what is most hopeful about the story.

[robin]

I think perhaps we may be talking about two different programs, but about the same person. We watch a PBS program, not NPR. Very interesting though.

Robin

[Josh]

I think the PBS documentary (The Lobotomist) is about Dr. Freeman (the lobotomist) and mentioned Howard Dully. The NPR segment is an interview with Dully (and his father). I only heard a little chunk of it. Most of my info is coming from the book.

[Margot]

Josh, I didn't know about that Christian-couple-that-supported-him angle. That's so touching and admirable of them to keep doing the right thing in the midst of a pretty terrible situation. That whole lobotomy thing was so heartbreaking for all those people who were reaching out for a straw of hope for the people they loved. Obviously, the mom in this story has some creepy ulterior motives, but I think about wealthy, educated people like the Kennedys who chose to give a lobotomy to their retarded daughter, Rosemary (in the 60's?) Here was a family who, theoretically, had the ways and means to investigate all the pros and cons of such a decision, and still went with it. I understood that after the surgery, their daughter lost whatever functionality she had and they chose to institutionalize her. Could any results have been much more devastating for a parent? Yet, at the time, that was State-of-The-Art medicine...