The fifth installment of our Character Interviews features the best cardio-thoracic surgeon in all of Seattle, if not the whole U.S. It was our pleasure to catch up with the incomparable, recovering Dr. Preston Bruke.
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THE INSIDER: Let's get right to it: How's the hand?
DR. BURKE: [pauses] Rehabilitation has been extremely difficult. It has been, psychologically, the most challenging obstacle I have ever had to overcome. You cannot let your frustration get the best of you, you cannot play "what if," and you most certainly cannot feel sorry for yourself. If you go down that road, you have already lost. As a doctor you approach rehab the same way you prepare for surgery. Stay within yourself, focus on the task at hand, never give up hope. I do not believe in odds.
THE INSIDER: As you often say, you're a surgeon, you save lives. What's it like to now have your professional life in jeopardy?
DR. BURKE: To overcome a tragedy or traumatic event, we must have the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. That is an old proverb, although I am not sure of its origin. I read it long ago in Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., which has always been one of my favorite books. This injury has devastated me, broken me in body and spirit. But I will rise above it because... because I must.
THE INSIDER: Where did you learn to cook so well?
DR. BURKE: My mother owns a restaurant in Alabama. You must have missed that episode.
THE INSIDER: Oh, right. Sorry sir. Won't happen again. Anyway, tell us about Cristina. Why are you in love with her?
DR. BURKE: [smiles] Cristina is very hard to get to know. She does not ask a lot of personal questions. But behind that rough exterior lies a wonderful individual, a tremendously talented, brilliant woman who cares much more for others than she lets on. Her dry wit and her spontaneity provide great balance in my life. With the possible exception of brushing her teeth in the sink, every little thing about her makes me love her more.
THE INSIDER: Amen. Dr. Shepherd must have mentioned his love for ferry boats in passing. How do you feel about these methods of transportation?
DR. BURKE: [laughs] He's mentioned it a few times, actually. You know Dr. Shepherd. He's a romantic. He loves to stop and enjoy the view as he goes through life. While I respect him as a surgeon, he and I tend to look at things differently. When I travel, I focus on where I need to be, not the process of getting there. Therefore, I tend to prefer transportation that gets me from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. That way I can concentrate on saving lives. I wasn't the most gifted student in medical school, I got where I am because I practiced. Hard. In prepping for surgery I need to be in my personal comfort zone, and that means getting to SGH as fast, and early, as possible to begin my routine.
