Blue Baby and Acute Coronary Revascularization

"Written by a loving family member and herself a surgeon about her uncle, an outstanding surgeon in his own right. It highlights the personality and professional drive that accounts for Dr. Ralph Berg's achievements in surgery and his total commitment to his wife and family. This is particularly applicable to Jason, his youngest son, born with cardiac anomalies that placed him in the category of blue babies.

"His constant search to find a 'fix' for Jason's problems was never far from his mind. His intense interest in cardiac physiology drove his desire to correct interrupted blood flow to the heart muscle, caused by said heart attacks. It became the basis for quick restoration of flow by emergent bypass surgery, which originated in Spokane and gradually became the norm throughout the world. A remarkable story about an extraordinary man, his family, his profession, and his passions."-Julie Spores, CRNA

"A heritage of Spokane, Washington, of physicians both academic and nonacademics, of immigrants, of the American dream, and of family. A surgical master, Dr. Ralph Berg, facing rejection despite knowing he would be validated, continued to do what was right and saved lives. He continued to live his life. He struggled. He achieved both the correction of his blue baby, Jason, and validation of his acute coronary revascularization work.

"My favorite sentence in the whole book is 'With insight into what is frivolous and what is important and profound connection, I threw out the nomination, and we continued.' This is the moment my friend Tracy Berg, also the book's author, connected with her uncle, who was never going to tell this story, and this book began."-Dr. Linda Harrison, family practitioner, PEO Chapter CL

"Especially because I am seventy-seven years young and those fifty-some years ago are now what I consider some of my most rewarding, Ralph Berg, a.k.a. 'Big Daddy,' had ideas and solutions about life that were somewhat questionable then but make a hell of a lot of sense now.-Jim Kappen, RN and operating room manager, Valley Hospital