Heal Yourself and Others by Laughing, Loving, and Learning
Personal Memoir
Date Published: August 27
Publisher: Oxygen Publishing
Embark on a transformative journey of self-healing with David Walking With Grace, a remarkable non-fiction work by Dr. Neal Boeder. Raised on a humble family farm, Dr. Boeder inherited a profound sense of service from his parents. However, his own life was not without its trials and tribulations, as he faced personal adversity and experienced the pain and wounds that touch many of us.
Unyielding in his commitment to confront his own pain, Dr. Boeder embarked on a courageous quest to transform his suffering into a wellspring of healing power. With grace and resilience, he embraced the challenges that lay before him, embarking on a remarkable path illuminated by listening, learning, laughter, and love. Along this awe-inspiring journey, he encountered unexplainable miracles, tangible manifestations of a higher power at work.
Through the lenses of a parent, patient, and physician, Dr. Boeder fearlessly delves into tough and sometimes controversial subjects, infusing his narrative with poetic humor. In David Walking With Grace, he invites readers to join him on his odyssey of pain and healing. From grappling with life-threatening heart conditions to battling two cancer diagnoses, from navigating the complexities of divorce to confronting his own inner demons, Dr. Boeder discovered profound methods to heal himself, his family, and his patients.
For those ready to embark on a profound expedition of self-discovery and empowerment, this book is an absolute must-read. Dr. Boeder's powerful insights will ignite a flame of inspiration within you, encouraging you to embrace the lessons, laughter, and love that can be found even within the depths of pain. Prepare yourself for an extraordinary experience that may just be the prescription you have been yearning for.
Open the pages of David Walking With Grace and unlock your potential to heal yourself and others. Dr. Boeder's poignant storytelling will guide you towards a transformative understanding of your own journey, and inspire you to navigate the labyrinth of healing with courage, compassion, and profound self-discovery.
EXCERPT
Science is a critical element of how I explain things. As a physician, science is how I heal. Sometimes people describe miracles that they don’t understand, but as a physician, there is a logical medical explanation. I advocate for people to use modern medicine in their healing. I am not just a physician, I am also a patient.
At 43, during the summer of 2022, I received the distressing news that I had again developed head and neck cancer. I went through it in 2017. Surprisingly, this was not a recurrence of my previous cancer but a completely new one on the opposite side. It is an exceptionally rare occurrence, happening only to about one in every 2,000-3,000 individuals. Unfortunately, luck was not on my side this time. My daughter witnessed the unsettling sight of her father undergoing surgery, resulting in matching scars on both sides of my neck, five years apart. Surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, enduring pain, and significant weight loss consumed our summer. Our eagerly anticipated summer bucket list, which we create every year, had to be put on hold. The many conversations about life I had envisioned having with my daughter now hang in uncertainty. The amount of time we have left to spend together on this Earth is unclear. Little did I realize that this seemingly unbearable situation would transform into the most profound blessing of my life.
I completed surgery in mid-July; technically, my surgeon completed the surgery. I just took a long nap. Typical man, sleeping on the job while a talented woman does the work! My surgeon is kind, intelligent and skilled. I recommend her to anyone. She’s so skilled I am helping her pay off her med school loans, one surgery at a time, every few years. She is going to need to name an exam room after me!
The surgery or nap was a tough one to wake up from, a lot of hurting but also a lot of healing. The kind nurse would give me pain meds to help and heal me with empathy and kindness. We talked about families. She pulled up a song I asked her to. It comforted me, Peace Be Still by Hope Darst(2). It reminded me of that day in the pool with my infant daughter. “I don’t want to be afraid every time I face the waves.” I was hurting, but the voice sang, “I’m not going to be afraid, Cause these waves are only waves, Peace be still, Say the words and I will.” Years ago, I was trying to help my daughter be calm and understand she should face those waves when she went under the water. I wanted her to hear my voice and be calm. Now I was the scared child, being told I could face these waves. Just to be still. As I lay in pain, that song and conversation about life had as much to do with easing my pain as the pain meds.
Ten nights later, the most powerful healing in my life would occur.
About the Author
Neal Boeder is an internal medicine physician, a two-time cancer survivor, and a dedicated father living in Minnesota. Born with a genetic heart condition, growing up on a farm and then living most of the past 20 years in the Twin Cities metro area has shaped his worldview. It allows him to relate to both “blue collar “and “white collar” worlds with humor and empathy. He values remaining humble, humorous, helping others, and the importance of hard work which his parents taught him.
After experiencing a miracle during his second cancer journey, Neal felt compelled to share his insights on healing. His debut book David Walking With Grace is a candid and refreshingly humorous account of his journey of recovery, science, and faith. He gives readers insight into all dimensions of “healing,” including the physical, spiritual, emotional, and social aspects. He writes through the lens of physician, patient, and parent. He explores a wide range of conditions and experiences, from medical aspects such as cancer, pain, depression, and addiction, to life challenges such as divorce, societal divides, and abuse.
Neal hopes to help individuals, families, and society find ways to heal—to create a better world for future generations. Beyond his professional work, Neal volunteers his time, talents, and treasure into efforts and causes supporting children in third-world countries, as well as a diverse group of people in difficult circumstances in the U.S.
He prioritizes raising his daughter. She is a major inspiration for his writing. Neal hopes she leaves the world a little better than she found it. Being born during a total eclipse of the sun added a touch of cosmic wonder to his life. His genetic heart condition adds a reminder of our mortality. Neal has worked at multiple top hospitals and renowned healthcare systems. Neal enjoys spending time with his family and friends. With a wide range of interests, his favorite aspect of his hobbies is getting to know people and their personal stories. During rare downtime alone he works on self-growth, enjoys comedy, and enjoys watching a variety of sports.
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