Crashing Through

A couple of weeks ago a movie review and now a book. The Mole Hole really is a full-service Blog!

Anyway....

I just finished reading one of my Christmas gift books titled "Crashing Through" by Robert Kurson. A very interesting read that I give an 8 to, on my scale of 10. More science than entertainment, but with some human reflection too.

This is a true story about a man blinded at the age of three in a chemical accident, who's chance encounter with a leading opthalmalogist gives him an opportunity at regaining his vision through a very cutting-edge procedure. It actually involves non-embryonic stem cells.

Much of the book occurs before he has the operation and involves all of the emotions surrounding the decision whether or not to have it. You might think that the decision should be an easy one, but this is a person who has not let blindness stop him from living a very ordinary life anyway. A loving family, a successful career and otherwise excellent health. So he wrestles with the question of his need to see, against the risks that are involved with the procedure; some of them potentially deadly.

Throughout history, only 20 individuals have regained sight after a lifetime of blindness. In this case, it's been 43 years for him. So this would be a very rare occurrence without much precedent in terms of preparation, and then the reaction to either success or failure.
I won't write anymore, because there are so many unexpected turns which contribute to this very interesting story.

It will suffice to say that there is a lot more to seeing than a functional eye.