I recently watched a movie produced by HBO titled "Something the Lord Made". No, it's not really a religious story. It is about Dr. Alfred Blalock, & his assistant, Vivien Thomas. They developed the procedure in the 1940's that saved the lives of us "blue babies", with Tetrology of Fallot. It is a fascinating story. I highly recommend it! It really blew me away that this story is about the exact procedure that saved my life when I was 2 years old. It's referred to as the Blalock-Taussig procedure. This procedure was truly the beginning of modern heart surgery. Here's the film's website: http://www.hbo.com/films/stlm/
Movie about early heart surgery: "Something the Lord Made"
- Thread starter George
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Ross
Well-known member
Tape it? I don't get HBO. 
Y
Yaps
I get hbo, will see if I can tape it, sounds good..
Pbs
Pbs
Also did the same story a couple of years ago:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/partners/filmmore/filmcredits.html
Pbs
Also did the same story a couple of years ago:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/partners/filmmore/filmcredits.html
Wise
Well-known member
Several of us here have seen it. It is an amazing story.
Hope you get to see it Ross. I don't have HBO, but saw it in Georgia at my stepdaughter's house.
Wise
Hope you get to see it Ross. I don't have HBO, but saw it in Georgia at my stepdaughter's house.
Wise
K
Karlynn
I wrote a thread not too long ago about this movie. It is terrific. I believe you can get it on DVD. So I would imagine you can rent it at a local video store.
Iam on my way...
Iam on my way...
..to the video store to see if they have it on video.
I have been on a "heart stuff kick" since surgery. I read several books including Walk on Water and Life Row.
Iam on my way...
..to the video store to see if they have it on video.
I have been on a "heart stuff kick" since surgery. I read several books including Walk on Water and Life Row.
Ross
Well-known member
Ain't got no DVD player either. Your much more technologically advanced then I.Karlynn said:
Debrinha GT
Well-known member
That takes me back to 1975.
That takes me back to 1975.
We have HBO here in Brazil too but I wonder if it's the same films on all the time. Again, I'll still be in NZ but I'll ask Robert to tape it for me to watch when I come back home. By the way, Marcelle was a 10 year old girl I met while I was in hospital for my first surgery back in 1975. She had her operation on the day I was discharged but unfortunatelly didn't make it. I only found out about her passing a few months later though. She was such a nice little girl and although it was a complicated procedure, her chances of surviving OHS were better than mine.
Débora
That takes me back to 1975.
We have HBO here in Brazil too but I wonder if it's the same films on all the time. Again, I'll still be in NZ but I'll ask Robert to tape it for me to watch when I come back home. By the way, Marcelle was a 10 year old girl I met while I was in hospital for my first surgery back in 1975. She had her operation on the day I was discharged but unfortunatelly didn't make it. I only found out about her passing a few months later though. She was such a nice little girl and although it was a complicated procedure, her chances of surviving OHS were better than mine.
Débora
strawberry
Well-known member
Ross said:Ain't got no DVD player either. Your much more technologically advanced then I.
UMMM, do you have a VCR? I rented it at Blockbuster and you can buy it on Amazon.com.
You need a TV to play it though. Do you have one of them there gadgets?
Marty
Well-known member
George said:
I've got the DVD.Ordered it from www.moviesunlimited.com I've watched it three times, once at at a family gathering where some fidgety kids watched the whole thing without moving or making noise.
Great show about the beginnings of "blue baby" heart surgery. Also a strong racial theme. Vivien Thomas, Blalock's superb lab and surgical assistant, was a black man who was not treated so well at times, but was absolutely indispensible in the development of the blue baby operation for Tetrology of Fallot.. My chief at Indiana ,Harry Shumaker trained five years with Blalock at Hopkins and talked about him a lot. Said he was the perfect southern gentleman, never raised his voice, never got mad, never got nervous not at all like the movie Dr. Blalock. Many of Dr. Blalock's associates and students wrote in to the journals attesting to this after the first HBO show.. However its an entertaining beautifully acted movie and I advise all valvers to see it.
George-
Many, many thanks for the post. You are right. It is an interesting movie. We taped it sometime ago and promised to send it to our son. Your post reminded me that we forgot to do that!!! For those who have not seem it, it is a great watch and a movie that we found inspiring. Might just watch it again before we send it on.
Blanche
Many, many thanks for the post. You are right. It is an interesting movie. We taped it sometime ago and promised to send it to our son. Your post reminded me that we forgot to do that!!! For those who have not seem it, it is a great watch and a movie that we found inspiring. Might just watch it again before we send it on.
Blanche
Heart valve surgery movie
Heart valve surgery movie
Along the same line, wouldn't it be great to see a movie about the early
days of heart valve surgery. Many children with valve disease faced certain
death just like the "blue babies"! Many adults that had RF got over it, only to die later in prime of life because of valves that were badly scarred by RF.
Many early heart surgeons tell the same story of wanting to give up on valve replacement, because they felt they were "killing so many on the table."
It was a very sad time for many. Thankfully, some pushed on and we are all
a living testament to their genius.
I would like to remind you all that the best way to pay tribute to those geniuses, is to write to NOVA and urge them to do a special on heart valve
surgery. Maybe HBO will make that in to a movie.
Remember this Tuesday, the 14th is the 46th anniversary of the first successful heart valve surgery!
Heart valve surgery movie
Along the same line, wouldn't it be great to see a movie about the early
days of heart valve surgery. Many children with valve disease faced certain
death just like the "blue babies"! Many adults that had RF got over it, only to die later in prime of life because of valves that were badly scarred by RF.
Many early heart surgeons tell the same story of wanting to give up on valve replacement, because they felt they were "killing so many on the table."
It was a very sad time for many. Thankfully, some pushed on and we are all
a living testament to their genius.
I would like to remind you all that the best way to pay tribute to those geniuses, is to write to NOVA and urge them to do a special on heart valve
surgery. Maybe HBO will make that in to a movie.
Remember this Tuesday, the 14th is the 46th anniversary of the first successful heart valve surgery!
T
tantekay
Thanks George..
Thanks George..
for the title of that movie. My father saw it a while back and told me about it, but couldn't remember the title. It also holds a special interest for us because my son along with a couple of other procedures has a modified BT shunt in place from the time he was 4 weeks old until he was 5 months old. It was then he had his Glenn that they removed the shunt. Now I will have to head to the movie store and find this one.
Praline --- I've also read Walk on Water -- awsome book. I spent many a night up way way to late because I couldn't put it down. What about Life Row?? I may have to look that up as well, but trying to be cautious of what I read right now -- getting ready to take my son for his 3rd OHS this summer -- finally have the date so I guess we're playing the waiting game.
Thanks George..
for the title of that movie. My father saw it a while back and told me about it, but couldn't remember the title. It also holds a special interest for us because my son along with a couple of other procedures has a modified BT shunt in place from the time he was 4 weeks old until he was 5 months old. It was then he had his Glenn that they removed the shunt. Now I will have to head to the movie store and find this one.
Praline --- I've also read Walk on Water -- awsome book. I spent many a night up way way to late because I couldn't put it down. What about Life Row?? I may have to look that up as well, but trying to be cautious of what I read right now -- getting ready to take my son for his 3rd OHS this summer -- finally have the date so I guess we're playing the waiting game.
Ross
Well-known member
Yeap, I got those two items. Have to check into it. Thanks.strawberry said:
Welllllll...
Welllllll...
I went to blockbuster to look for this movie on VHS. Talk about a generation gap...!! They do not rent VHS at Blockbuster here anymore, only DVD. I am trying to get it from the public library but so much was lost to Katrina that I am not sure if they still have it.
Welllllll...
I went to blockbuster to look for this movie on VHS. Talk about a generation gap...!! They do not rent VHS at Blockbuster here anymore, only DVD. I am trying to get it from the public library but so much was lost to Katrina that I am not sure if they still have it.
Ross
Well-known member
That's the problem I'm running into here as well. Maybe it's time for me to go get an el cheapo DVD player? That could be signing my death warrant though. Wife doesn't appreciate new toys.Praline said:
strawberry
Well-known member
Ross said:
Well, that's a shame! Our blockbuster had both of a lot of movies. Sometimes if the dvd is out, I'll wind up with a tape. You could buy it on amazon I guess. It IS a really good movie. Wonderful story about not only heart surgery but about the changes in attitude towards black people at John's Hopkins, which is barely in the South.
R
Raverlaw
Just watched this wonderful story tonight with my wife and daughter, who is twelve. After sitting silently through the whole thing, my daughter turned to my wife and said "If they hadn't learned how to do surgery on the heart Daddy wouldn't be alive, would he?"
Everyone who has had any type of heart surgery should watch this one and appreciate the bravery and dedication of those pioneering surgeons.
Everyone who has had any type of heart surgery should watch this one and appreciate the bravery and dedication of those pioneering surgeons.
gijanet
Well-known member
Wow!
Wow!
That really says it all, doesn't it? We've come a long way, baby! Katie, too, had the Blalock-Taussig shunt at the ripe old age of two weeks on Dec. 5th, 2000. I'll never forget............had her baptized by the hospital chaplain the night before. George, you are one of our heroes, too, as are all adult CHDers who pave the way before us.
I have not had a chance to see this, but will have to see about renting it. We have to forego the luxury of premium cable, too. (Hey, I have Katie! What more entertainment could I want? Do YOU have a plastic allligator from Razoos wearing a pink faux fur jacket lying down in a doll bed? Hmmm?? ) Have read WOW. Phenomenal book! Ciao! J.
Wow!
Raverlaw said:
That really says it all, doesn't it? We've come a long way, baby!
Katie, too, had the Blalock-Taussig shunt at the ripe old age of two weeks on Dec. 5th, 2000. I'll never forget............had her baptized by the hospital chaplain the night before. George, you are one of our heroes, too, as are all adult CHDers who pave the way before us. I have not had a chance to see this, but will have to see about renting it. We have to forego the luxury of premium cable, too. (Hey, I have Katie! What more entertainment could I want? Do YOU have a plastic allligator from Razoos wearing a pink faux fur jacket lying down in a doll bed? Hmmm??
) Have read WOW. Phenomenal book! Ciao! J.
