Overview

What is it like to resuscitate a baby on the cusp of viability, to purposely induce hypothermia, to remove and replace twice a baby's blood volume within a few hours? How do you confront the turmoil of emotions when everything goes wrong? Every year half a million babies are admitted to neonatal intensive care units across the country, their stories and experiences largely hidden from view. With compassion and powerfully moving insight, neonatologist Benjamin Rattray takes readers behind closed doors to reveal heartbreaking realities, joyful and unexpected recoveries, and the often long, uncertain road of recovery encountered in newborn critical care. Captivating, beautifully written, and deeply personal, When All Becomes New shares a doctor's intimate reflections on life and medicine, the tension between faith and suffering, and how faith and hope can change the way we see the world.

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9781666704907

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Reviews

Have you ever wondered about what goes on in a NICU? Wonder no more, as Ben Rattray has written a must-read of vivid, true stories about what happens inside the doors of a world that many will never enter. --Chris Rowe, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner When All Becomes New is a beautiful unification of perspective--the untouchable medical profession with the realness of actuality. Dr. Rattray allows us the unique gift of peeking inside the world of a physician, in the often-hidden specialty of neonatal medicine. His stories highlight his evolution from young courage to a foundation of steadfast faith that is tangible within the pages. The stories are raw, some even unimaginable, yet throughout the beauty of their realness there is an intertwining of Dr. Rattray's fundamental framework, his deepest calling--that of grace that can only be attributed to his love for the Lord. --Katie Krist, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner When All Becomes New captures the compassion and love Dr. Rattray shares with his newborn patients and their parents, inviting the reader into a place of gentleness and wonder. Before reading this book, I knew little of neonatology; afterwards I had a far deeper appreciation for the nuances of this area of medicine. Dr. Rattray humanizes his discipline, inviting the reader into the exhilaration and joy of new life taking hold or the tragedy of it being extinguished before it's even begun. He captures the fragility of premature infants tenuously balancing between life and death. Seemingly simple things in adults, like placing intravenous lines or breathing tubes, become harrowing life-and-death challenges in a tiny baby. He honors and remembers his losses yet delights in meeting his young patients who have gone on to grow into healthy and happy children. Dr. Rattray interweaves vignettes from his own life--his marriage, his training, his faith, his own children--with tender, captivating, compelling stories from his days and nights as guardian of the NICU. --Joseph Stern, author of Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon's Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion When you flip to the prologue of a book and read, The baby's heart rate suddenly disappears from the monitor . . ., you absolutely must, no matter ... When All Becomes New is a rare and intimate glimpse into the mind and soul of a man tasked with 'cavorting between life and death' in his role as a neonatologist. Each beautifully drawn story in this powerful and illuminating collection explores the gut-wrenching gale of emotions Dr. Rattray must grapple with during even the most routine NICU moments. Full of empathy and honesty, this book is ultimately a spiritual journey punctuated with anguish, deep human connection, joy, perspective, and ultimately, reconciliation. It is a story that will surely cast hope and heal hearts. --Carrie Firestone, author of The Unlikelies This book is pure treasure. It is rare to get a realistic glimpse into the world of medicine. Dr. Rattray has been able to not only provide that glimpse, but also to combine it with the thoughts and emotions that all of us called to practice medicine experience. His humble, picturesque prose will take you deep into the heart and soul of the art of medicine. From the heartwarming success stories to the devastating loss of a life not yet begun, it will be impossible to read without the stirring of deep emotions. This book should be required reading for anyone considering a career in medicine. Fantastic! --Michael R. Canady, Chief Executive Officer, Holzer Health System, Gallipolis, Ohio The stories of the families in the NICU are masterfully interwoven with Dr. Rattray's reflections on the journey of his own young family. Written with heart and raw honesty, this book bridges the invisible barrier between physician and patient. I highly recommend this book, although I caution that it is almost impossible to put down once you start. --Alana Ledford, Communications Professor Have you ever wondered about what goes on in a NICU? Wonder no more, as Ben Rattray has written a must-read of vivid, true stories about what happens inside the doors of a world that many will never enter. --Chris Rowe, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner When All Becomes New is a beautiful unification of perspective--the untouchable medical profession with the realness of actuality. Dr. Rattray allows us the unique gift of peeking inside the world of a physician, in the often-hidden specialty of neonatal medicine. His stories highlight his evolution from young courage to a foundation of steadfast faith that is tangible within the pages. The stories are raw, some even unimaginable, yet throughout the beauty of their realness there is an intertwining of Dr. Rattray's fundamental framework, his deepest calling--that of grace that can only be attributed to his love for the Lord. --Katie Krist, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

"""When All Becomes New is a rare and intimate glimpse into the mind and soul of a man tasked with 'cavorting between life and death' in his role as a neonatologist. Each beautifully drawn story in this powerful and illuminating collection explores the gut-wrenching gale of emotions Dr. Rattray must grapple with during even the most routine NICU moments. Full of empathy and honesty, this book is ultimately a spiritual journey punctuated with anguish, deep human connection, joy, perspective, and ultimately, reconciliation. It is a story that will surely cast hope and heal hearts."" --Carrie Firestone, author of The Unlikelies ""This book is pure treasure. It is rare to get a realistic glimpse into the world of medicine. Dr. Rattray has been able to not only provide that glimpse, but also to combine it with the thoughts and emotions that all of us called to practice medicine experience. His humble, picturesque prose will take you deep into the heart and soul of the art of medicine. From the heartwarming success stories to the devastating loss of a life not yet begun, it will be impossible to read without the stirring of deep emotions. This book should be required reading for anyone considering a career in medicine. Fantastic!"" --Michael R. Canady, Chief Executive Officer, Holzer Health System, Gallipolis, Ohio ""The stories of the families in the NICU are masterfully interwoven with Dr. Rattray's reflections on the journey of his own young family. Written with heart and raw honesty, this book bridges the invisible barrier between physician and patient. I highly recommend this book, although I caution that it is almost impossible to put down once you start."" --Alana Ledford, Communications Professor ""Have you ever wondered about what goes on in a NICU? Wonder no more, as Ben Rattray has written a must-read of vivid, true stories about what happens inside the doors of a world that many will never enter."" --Chris Rowe, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner ""When All Becomes New is a beautiful unification of perspective--the untouchable medical profession with the realness of actuality. Dr. Rattray allows us the unique gift of peeking inside the world of a physician, in the often-hidden specialty of neonatal medicine. His stories highlight his evolution from young courage to a foundation of steadfast faith that is tangible within the pages. The stories are raw, some even unimaginable, yet throughout the beauty of their realness there is an intertwining of Dr. Rattray's fundamental framework, his deepest calling--that of grace that can only be attributed to his love for the Lord."" --Katie Krist, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner ""When All Becomes New captures the compassion and love Dr. Rattray shares with his newborn patients and their parents, inviting the reader into a place of gentleness and wonder. Before reading this book, I knew little of neonatology; afterwards I had a far deeper appreciation for the nuances of this area of medicine. Dr. Rattray humanizes his discipline, inviting the reader into the exhilaration and joy of new life taking hold or the tragedy of it being extinguished before it's even begun. He captures the fragility of premature infants tenuously balancing between life and death. Seemingly simple things in adults, like placing intravenous lines or breathing tubes, become harrowing life-and-death challenges in a tiny baby. He honors and remembers his losses yet delights in meeting his young patients who have gone on to grow into healthy and happy children. Dr. Rattray interweaves vignettes from his own life--his marriage, his training, his faith, his own children--with tender, captivating, compelling stories from his days and nights as guardian of the NICU."""

Have you ever wondered about what goes on in a NICU? Wonder no more, as Ben Rattray has written a must-read of vivid, true stories about what happens inside the doors of a world that many will never enter. --Chris Rowe, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner When All Becomes New is a beautiful unification of perspective--the untouchable medical profession with the realness of actuality. Dr. Rattray allows us the unique gift of peeking inside the world of a physician, in the often-hidden specialty of neonatal medicine. His stories highlight his evolution from young courage to a foundation of steadfast faith that is tangible within the pages. The stories are raw, some even unimaginable, yet throughout the beauty of their realness there is an intertwining of Dr. Rattray's fundamental framework, his deepest calling--that of grace that can only be attributed to his love for the Lord. --Katie Krist, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner When All Becomes New captures the compassion and love Dr. Rattray shares with his newborn patients and their parents, inviting the reader into a place of gentleness and wonder. Before reading this book, I knew little of neonatology; afterwards I had a far deeper appreciation for the nuances of this area of medicine. Dr. Rattray humanizes his discipline, inviting the reader into the exhilaration and joy of new life taking hold or the tragedy of it being extinguished before it's even begun. He captures the fragility of premature infants tenuously balancing between life and death. Seemingly simple things in adults, like placing intravenous lines or breathing tubes, become harrowing life-and-death challenges in a tiny baby. He honors and remembers his losses yet delights in meeting his young patients who have gone on to grow into healthy and happy children. Dr. Rattray interweaves vignettes from his own life--his marriage, his training, his faith, his own children--with tender, captivating, compelling stories from his days and nights as guardian of the NICU. --Joseph Stern, author of Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon's Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion When you flip to the prologue of a book and read, The baby's heart rate suddenly disappears from the monitor . . ., you absolutely must, no matter ... When All Becomes New is a rare and intimate glimpse into the mind and soul of a man tasked with 'cavorting between life and death' in his role as a neonatologist. Each beautifully drawn story in this powerful and illuminating collection explores the gut-wrenching gale of emotions Dr. Rattray must grapple with during even the most routine NICU moments. Full of empathy and honesty, this book is ultimately a spiritual journey punctuated with anguish, deep human connection, joy, perspective, and ultimately, reconciliation. It is a story that will surely cast hope and heal hearts. --Carrie Firestone, author of The Unlikelies This book is pure treasure. It is rare to get a realistic glimpse into the world of medicine. Dr. Rattray has been able to not only provide that glimpse, but also to combine it with the thoughts and emotions that all of us called to practice medicine experience. His humble, picturesque prose will take you deep into the heart and soul of the art of medicine. From the heartwarming success stories to the devastating loss of a life not yet begun, it will be impossible to read without the stirring of deep emotions. This book should be required reading for anyone considering a career in medicine. Fantastic! --Michael R. Canady, Chief Executive Officer, Holzer Health System, Gallipolis, Ohio The stories of the families in the NICU are masterfully interwoven with Dr. Rattray's reflections on the journey of his own young family. Written with heart and raw honesty, this book bridges the invisible barrier between physician and patient. I highly recommend this book, although I caution that it is almost impossible to put down once you start. --Alana Ledford, Communications Professor

Author Information

Benjamin Rattray is a newborn critical care physician in North Carolina where he serves as Associate Medical Director of Neonatal Intensive Care at the Cone Health Women's and Children's Center. He completed a pediatric residency and a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, holds an MBA from LSU Shreveport, and is a certified physician executive. He lives with his wife, three children, and a golden retriever in Greensboro, North Carolina.

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