How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Stone didn't believe in glorifying surgeons or operations. "Surgery is surgery is surgery," he liked to say, and on principle he would no more look up to a neurosurgeon than down on a podiatrist. (1.4.15)
It's funny, after our discussion of the differences between Marion's and Stone's skills, that here Marion claims that Stone didn't differentiate between the medical specialties. Stone might not think surgeons are any better than podiatrists, but Marion's decision to choose surgery because it's difficult might hint that he thinks differently.
Quote #8
A Cesarean section was technically not beyond Stone's abilities. But on that fateful day, the thought of taking scalpel to Sister Mary Joseph Praise—his surgical assistant, his closest confidante, his typist, his muse, and the woman he realized he loved—terrified him. (1.4.16)
For Dr. Stone, surgery has always been his wheelhouse. He knows what he's doing; he even wrote a book on it. But this time, the act of operating isn't just part of his job—it has become personal. Maybe the reason Stone is such a good doctor is that he doesn't see his patients as people and can therefore focus on the task at hand.
Quote #9
Hema's hands were like extensions of her eyes as she explored the space that she thought of as the portal to her work; fingers inside took their soundings, helped by the hand on the outside. (1.7.41)
We don't get to see much of Hema in action, but here's a rare peek. Whereas Stone is pretty showy with his skills, Hema is more organic. She feels rather than looks, and, funnily enough, she's able to separate the fact that the person on the table is her dear friend, even though you'd think this is a more intimate approach.