1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: Well, good a team. Welcome to another episode of the 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: You Project. It's Fatty Harps. It's Craig Anthony Harper's Sunday 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: morning in the thriving Metropolis. It's thirteen minutes past nine 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: and one of my friends. We're friends now. We used 5 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: to be acquaintances. We knew each other a little bit. 6 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: Now we've hung out a bit, We've we've dined together, 7 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 1: We've spent time together, We've shared kaffeene together and stories together. 8 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: He helps me and I help him periodically. Doctor Alex, 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: welcome back to the show, my friend. How are you? 10 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 2: I'm great, It's really great to see you. It's great 11 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 2: to talk again. 12 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: It's good to see you, mate. What's going on? Is 13 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: there anything before we dive in? I want to talk 14 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: to you about. I actually want to have a proper 15 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: grown up podcast today about neurosurgery, the profession and the 16 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: practice and the science and the development of it and 17 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: all that, because I think it's obviously it's interesting fast. 18 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: It's day to day for you, but it's interesting fast. 19 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: But other than that, what's going on? How's marriage? How's 20 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: married life? Be? Still married? By the way, because I 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: went to your wedding, I haven't checked in. Still good, 22 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: there's still good there. Yes, I don't know. No one 23 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: would have seen the photos. But you turned up for 24 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: the first time I've seen in a suit and a tie, 25 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,559 Speaker 1: and I didn't recognize you to start off with. In fact, 26 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: you look like the biggest, baddest bouncer I've ever had 27 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 1: at any wedding or ever seen at any wedding. There's 28 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 1: a good look for you. 29 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 2: You look at what the agents out of the matrix. Yeah. 30 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: Well, I do get asked for directions or people ask 31 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: me questions when I turn up at things in a 32 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: suit because they one think I'm on staff in some capacity. 33 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: So that shows you how much you're loved, because I'm 34 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: not putting on a suit for fucking anyone generally, especially 35 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: not for under ten thousand dollars. But I did it 36 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: for you, and you know, so that's a sign of 37 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: my devotion and love. 38 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: It was greatly appreciated. Hups. It was a good day. 39 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: Great and Carlie's great. She's at work at the moment 40 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 2: at the kids hospital. That's the way it is. That 41 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: we had a wedding yesterday to go to and I 42 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 2: was there on my own because Carli had a shift, 43 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: and so there's a bit of ships in the night 44 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: sort of vibe with everything. But it's also great having 45 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: somebody else who's in the surgical fraternity because the nuances 46 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: of stuff that happens, you don't need to describe the background. 47 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 2: You can just dive into it and unload and the 48 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 2: other person will immediately get it. But then again, also 49 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 2: there's no sympathy. So if Carli's got something on her 50 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 2: mind and I've been through it like ten times, then 51 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 2: she gets no sympathy. I'm just like, yeah, that's the 52 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: way it is, get over it. 53 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's going to happen and keep happening. Yep, 54 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: move on. 55 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 2: And then I get no sympathy because she's tired or 56 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 2: she's been through it ten times. But it's great. It's 57 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 2: a really interesting dynamic. Obviously, female and pursuing a career 58 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 2: is it's quite a it's a difficult topic because it's 59 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: a you know, when it comes to family and children, 60 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 2: females have a different experience than the guy. They've got 61 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: a certain time frame and there's always that pressure, that 62 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: biological pressure about family, and then certainly in recent times 63 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 2: there's this huge pressure for career as well, I feel 64 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 2: it really feels like that, and and it's great because 65 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 2: a career is very stimulating, very fulfilling, engaging, and it 66 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 2: goes beyond. You know, a kid can leave at the 67 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 2: age of beteen from home and then what he left with, 68 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 2: but a career stays with you until the day you retire. 69 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 2: So's that's an interesting balancing act. We've had a couple 70 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 2: of conversations about it, and we haven't resolved it. And 71 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 2: I have lots of conversations with patients and other and 72 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: other colleagues in the specialty about this. I was talking 73 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 2: to people at the wedding last night about this because 74 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: it's quite a it's an unresolved and unresolved issue. We 75 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: haven't we haven't worked out but both loving the career 76 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 2: highly stimulating. 77 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: What is the issue, like, is the issue we're gonna 78 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: have kids? Or are we? Or when are we? Or 79 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: it's because it's kind of not fair that the women 80 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: have to do that, right, Like, there's no other option, 81 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: is there? No? 82 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 2: They get that that's a much bigger deal. I mean, 83 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: obviously it has a huge effect on their body and 84 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 2: their time. You know, they've got to have maternity leave 85 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 2: and go through all of that, and then that's a 86 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 2: big chunk out of training like that. You know, take 87 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 2: three or six months off from a training program to 88 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 2: do that. 89 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: And when you say you mean medical training, you don't 90 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: mean the gym, right, or do you mean the gym? 91 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, like surgical training training to become a surgeon, which 92 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 2: is you know, six or seven years, so you've got 93 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 2: to take time off during that. And then you know, 94 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: it's a really tough gig being a mum. How do 95 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 2: you know, then be a mom to a young child 96 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: and push extremely hard career wise, that that's a really difficult. 97 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: A lot of people have nannies and family around to 98 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: help with that, and I don't know if if you 99 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 2: can do both perfectly. I actually don't know how somebody balances. 100 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: I know some surgeons you've got several kids and they 101 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,600 Speaker 2: have two or three nannies and that's almost the only 102 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: way that it works, someone there during the day to 103 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 2: look after the kids. Anyway, haven't We haven't cracked this 104 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 2: code yet. 105 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: So just tell people what because obviously I don't think 106 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: you tell us specifically what Kylie's doing. So she's a doctor, 107 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: of course, and she's doing her training to become a surgeon. 108 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: Is that it. 109 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, she's finished med school, so she's a doctor. She's 110 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 2: done her required years in the hospital general training you 111 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 2: have to do before you can apply to get on 112 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 2: the surgical training program. You have to do the general 113 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 2: the surgical training program to be a qualified consultant, right, 114 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 2: And so she's going to apply for that next year. 115 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 2: So she's at the start of the of the process 116 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 2: of the actual official training program, which will be six years. 117 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 2: So and that's in pediatric surgery, which he loves and 118 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 2: really enjoys a job and is really good at it. 119 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: But there's lots of decisions coming up. Will stand by, 120 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: will stand by, But lots of people were listening, would 121 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,679 Speaker 2: would have you know something similar like if it doesn't 122 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: have to be medicinal surgery. They're having family and all 123 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: sorts of careers in facing the same issues, and it's 124 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: incredibly difficult. But it's an ongoing conversation. 125 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: Is there a particular personality or type that is more 126 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: likely to become a surgeon or is it not at 127 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: all unrelated? 128 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 2: There's definitely a good aptitude for surgery. You can just 129 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 2: look at someone and say they've just got a good 130 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: aptitude for it. They get the anatomy, they get the 131 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: physicality of surgery. They're efficient, they're a decision maker. That's 132 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 2: really important. They can make a decision. And there's also 133 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,039 Speaker 2: the attitude of dealing with people. I didn't realize this 134 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 2: how important that was, but in a hospital you may 135 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 2: not know it, but there are a whole spread of 136 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 2: personalities from toxic personality to you know, to someone who's 137 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 2: quite pleasant, and that's very, very difficult to deal I mean, 138 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 2: you can have an okay day at work and just 139 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 2: your day is ruined by toxic personality, a clash with 140 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: another consultant or someone in ICU or in theater. That 141 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 2: was a problem to deal with personality wise. I don't know. 142 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 2: I just I always just wanted to do surgery. There 143 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 2: was just no there was no plan B. So it 144 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 2: was very driven. I guess Klie is very driven, and 145 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: I don't know. Perhaps why do you do what you do? 146 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 2: Do you think you've got a specific personality for talking 147 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: to people? I don't know. This is a really important 148 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: issue because selecting surgeons, you have to do. The interview 149 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 2: is a big part of the process. You've got a 150 00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: c you've got referees, and then you have to sit 151 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 2: down at an interview and for me, there were six 152 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 2: spots out of all of Australia. How do you pick 153 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 2: six people to get on the training program? And you 154 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 2: ask a series of questions and trying to get to 155 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 2: know these people, and then you just base it off 156 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,440 Speaker 2: those responses. So it's actually really tricky to pick the 157 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 2: right person. And there's ongoing research and what are the 158 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: right questions, what's the right way to sort out these 159 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 2: people and find who has got the right aptitude or 160 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 2: surgery And then often they said that fails and then 161 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 2: the surgical training program becomes the screening. So they go 162 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 2: through the training and then they are that they will 163 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: thrive all they'll struggle, and if they're struggling, then that 164 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 2: becomes a sign that tough conversations need to be had because. 165 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: It's I think it's from the outside looking in, it's like, 166 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 1: obviously you need you know, you need to be intelligent, 167 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: you need a great understanding of an anime in physiology 168 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: and all that, all the skills and all the science 169 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: or the knowledge. Then you need to be able to 170 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: have I would think extreme an extreme ability to focus 171 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: and concentrate and be present and not distracted. Then you 172 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: need goods social skills to be able to lead a 173 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: team and communicate and not piss people off and not 174 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: get pissed off. And then you need to be able 175 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: to self regulate in the middle of fucking chaos so 176 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: you're not losing your shit. And then you need to 177 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy yourself so you know. 178 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: And then you need to have good leadership skills. And 179 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: then you need to be a high level problem solver, 180 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: because surgery in some ways is problem solving in real time, 181 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: and it's like this fucking collision of a million different 182 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: variables that all matter. 183 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 2: And it's not like sport, where you are great when 184 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 2: you're young and you've identified yourself as good at sport, 185 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 2: and then you go down this pathway and you just 186 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 2: get better and better at what you've already demonstrated you're 187 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: good at this. You kind of don't really know that 188 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 2: you're good at it until you've gone through the whole 189 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 2: process and you start, and even not until you're halfway 190 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 2: through the process do you realize if you're any good 191 00:09:57,880 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 2: at it. 192 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: It's so true about how many people study mate and 193 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: then like even the people that I did one hundred 194 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 1: years ago when I did my first degree. People who 195 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: studied physic or human movement or whatever we want to 196 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: call it, exercise science, and they go through the whole 197 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: thing and then at the end of it they go, oh, 198 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: I want to do this at all. And they never 199 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: spend one day writing one exercise program or prescribing anything 200 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: for anyone, but they do the whole thing, and or 201 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: they go and do a bit of work experience, or 202 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: they start to work in the industry or with a 203 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: sporting club. And then the amount of people I've seen 204 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: that I went to UNI with who are still working 205 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: in the space of exercise science, it's probably less than 206 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: five percent twenty years after they did their degree, Like 207 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: very minimal. 208 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 2: It doesn't surprise me. I'll see that in surgery people 209 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 2: get halfway through and they decide to go down at 210 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 2: a completely different route. They go and do radiology or 211 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 2: general practice, or go into business or admin. And that's tough, 212 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 2: isn't You did that whole You go through meta school 213 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 2: and half of a training program and then decide this 214 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 2: is not for you. 215 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: Do you think that I think for some people that 216 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: it's just the emotional and psychological cost where you just 217 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: you get to a point where and I think it's okay. 218 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: I don't think it's weakness or bad. I don't think 219 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: it's a flaw. I think it's just a realization. Like, 220 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: if I'm being honest, there's been twenty six times in 221 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: my PhD where I've said to myself and that's only 222 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: a PhD, that's not all the shit that you've done, right, 223 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: I'm like, is this worth it? Like this is so 224 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: hard and so much and I go, you know, where 225 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 1: you weigh it up? And there's been a bunch of 226 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: times where I thought I didn't need to do this, 227 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: you know, and for whatever reason, I keep doing it. 228 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:47,559 Speaker 1: But I can understand, like the amount of people who 229 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: start a PhD and drop out is something like eighty percent, 230 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: Like it's very high number the people who don't complete 231 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 1: their PhD. And I'm thinking, with what you do it, 232 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: that's you know, my experience, yours would be time was 233 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: twenty five in terms of how difficult it is to 234 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: get where you got. I just think that people just 235 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: weigh it up and go, could I get through? Probably? Maybe? 236 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: But is it worth it? No? Because I'm fucking miserable, 237 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: I'm anxious, I don't sleep, I'm stressed, my health suffering, 238 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: So I think that you know that probably eliminates people 239 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: naturally anyway, that way, it's. 240 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:29,439 Speaker 2: One hundred percent through. The drive is really important. You've 241 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 2: got to have that inner drive to do surgery because 242 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 2: that's what gets you through. You will get you over 243 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 2: the hurdles that you inevitably will face. If you're doing 244 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: it for any other reason than you want to do it, 245 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 2: You're going to struggle and probably go in a different 246 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 2: direction given enough hurdles. And that certainly was my drive 247 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 2: since year ten. That was all I wanted to do, 248 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 2: and I had plenty of hurdles, but each hurdle was 249 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:58,319 Speaker 2: just an excuse to hit harder and jump higher type thing. 250 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 2: And if you didn't have that, you would certainly give up. 251 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 2: It's probably a weird question, but could you? And I 252 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 2: know there's no typical day, but one of the things 253 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 2: I say to my clients or back in the day, 254 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 2: especially when someone would come to me, I'd say, walk 255 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 2: me through a typical day of you, and by that 256 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: I mean sleep, food, exercise. You know, are you sitting 257 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 2: for four hours a day? So can you walk us 258 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:27,839 Speaker 2: through a typical day of being and we don't need 259 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: your breakfast and your dinner. But the neurosurgery stuff, like 260 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 2: what's a typical day, And I know it varies broadly, 261 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: but of neurosurgery, like on the days that you're working, 262 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 2: do you do you do one up a day, four 263 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 2: ops a day. I know it varies wildly, but can 264 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 2: you give us a snapshot into the day of a neurosurgeon. Yeah, 265 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 2: I get up at three thirty, go to the gym, 266 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 2: I come home and I meditates and then I read 267 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 2: my natomy text. 268 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 1: Though you're a fucking idiot. We know that's not true. 269 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 2: Mark Woolberg sort of schedule, which I think is day 270 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 2: of rubbish. A typical day like Friday is one of 271 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 2: my operating days. He's a classic day. So the theaterist 272 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 2: starts at eight, and I'm there at ten to eight, 273 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 2: and I'm in theater by eight and I've got my 274 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 2: walk in there and you can tell it's going to 275 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 2: be a great day. The anesiis that I love is there. 276 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,119 Speaker 2: The scrub nurse that I love is there, the assistant 277 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 2: that is my favorite. You've got the whole team there. 278 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: He's got a good vibe straight away. And then the 279 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 2: patients in the anesthetic bay, I go and have a 280 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 2: chat with them, they sign their consent form and then 281 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 2: we're off. And the first case on Friday was a 282 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: spinal tumor, and so I sit down and look at 283 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: the scan and just rehearse what I'm going to do. 284 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 2: And I'm looking at the scan in terms of the anatomy, 285 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: so landmarks that I'll be looking for and what I'm 286 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 2: going to try and what I want to recognize when 287 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 2: I get in there to guide me where I'm going. 288 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 2: And then also looking at the scan for things that 289 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 2: are going to trip me or potentially that can cause 290 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 2: a complication and how I'm going to avoid that. So 291 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: that's review that for a good twenty minutes or so, 292 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 2: and then a typical day could be anywhere between four 293 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 2: and I've done up to seven cases in a day, 294 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 2: depending on the anisthetus and the team and hospital beds. 295 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 2: And it's I love the efficiency of surgery. And I 296 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 2: watched my guy down in Hobart operate and that's where 297 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: I got that from. Incredibly efficient in terms of all 298 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 2: of his movements and starting doing the operation, closing up, 299 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 2: wrapping up, and then my aniesthetus is very efficient as well. 300 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 2: So the turnover can be quick because don't forget. If 301 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 2: you do five cases, that's about you know, that's four 302 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: turnover times. And so if the anesthas is fast, that's 303 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: half an hour per turnover time, so that's two hours 304 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 2: extra added to the operating time. Or if they're not 305 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 2: as quick and it's an hour, that's an extra four 306 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 2: hours of the day added just sitting around waiting for 307 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 2: the anesthetus to do their things. So there's that element. 308 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 2: I think I've got five cases. They will take me 309 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 2: forty minutes each, will be done by two o'clock, and 310 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 2: then you've got to add in the anesthetic time, which 311 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 2: is four hours, so actually we'll be done at eight o'clock. Wow. Yeah. 312 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 2: But the theater days, it's the best part of it. 313 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 2: I do a lot of consulting, sitting at the desk 314 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: and talking to patients and that's becoming a more rewarding 315 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 2: process as well. And that would typically start at nine 316 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 2: o'clock and finish around about round four seeing new patients 317 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 2: going and I love the education side of things. I'm 318 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 2: talking to them about their problem, trying to identify what 319 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 2: their problem is. That's really really key often it's not 320 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 2: straight up obvious what it is that they want to 321 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 2: talk about. And so finding that getting expectations sorted out 322 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 2: that's really really key. Expectations. They need to need to 323 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: be on the same page otherwise that causes real problem. 324 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 2: So finding that I love the education side of things, 325 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 2: showing them the scan, showing them what's wrong. People love 326 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 2: to see that there is something wrong. It's very common 327 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 2: that they say, oh, you know what, I actually thought 328 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 2: I was going crazy. There's actually something wrong with me. Yes, 329 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,199 Speaker 2: very And I take video of surgery. I've got this 330 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 2: video app that I've called Surgery TV, which I've developed 331 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 2: over the last two years with a colleague, and in fact, 332 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 2: we just we just got awarded a government grant for 333 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:25,639 Speaker 2: this video app. It was about eighty six thousand dollars, 334 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 2: which is just great in terms of us being able 335 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 2: to push it further. But essentially, what it does is 336 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 2: allow me to record the video of every operation I do, 337 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 2: which it always do, but it takes about you can 338 00:17:36,240 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 2: take you about forty minutes to download a video of 339 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 2: each operation onto a USB and then you've got to 340 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 2: do something with it. With this app that we've designed, 341 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 2: it goes from the microscope straight to my iPhone ready 342 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 2: to go. So it's an automated process. So now I 343 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 2: have a video of everyone's surgery for everyone that I do, 344 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 2: and I give it to them to the patient the 345 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 2: following morning, and again I've told them about an operation, 346 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 2: they've consented for an operation, they've had the operation, and 347 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 2: then the following morning, after their operation, I showed them 348 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 2: the video of the problem and me fixing the problem. 349 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 2: And they still say, oh, that was so good to see. 350 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 2: There's actually something wrong with me. I wasn't going crazy. 351 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 2: Yes you must have. I mean you're still possibly there 352 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 2: was something you thought you were crazy. 353 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: You know what I love about that? That shows that 354 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: you have absolute confidence in what you do to be 355 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: able to record, to record that and then say here's 356 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,959 Speaker 1: the video. A lot of surgeons would not do that, 357 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: is my guess. 358 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 2: Well, that is a very good point that you raise. 359 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 2: Patients say a couple of things about the video, and 360 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 2: one of them is exactly that, Well, if you're confident 361 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 2: enough to record the operation, then I'm confident in you 362 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 2: doing the operation. But I look at it like this, 363 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 2: if you don't have a video of surgery, the surgeon 364 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 2: stuffed up if you do have a video of surgery, 365 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 2: it was a difficult case, just say there's a complication. 366 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 2: Surgeons say I don't want a complication recorded on video. Well, 367 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 2: surgeons are rarely negligent. In fact, they're almost never negligent. 368 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 2: It's just bad luck or the case was just very 369 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 2: very difficult, And you can't say that. You can't say 370 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 2: the case was difficult, or it was bad luck, or 371 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 2: there was this you know, this anatomical variation. You can 372 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,479 Speaker 2: write it at an opropose, but it's just very difficult 373 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 2: to communicate that because you're you're contrasting that to an 374 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 2: outcome that's not ideal, and that's blank and white. So 375 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 2: it's sort of good evidence. So I say, well, you know, 376 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,880 Speaker 2: without a video, basically people just think that you stuffed up. 377 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 2: With a video, people will see that it was just 378 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 2: it was bad luck or it was a difficult case. 379 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,200 Speaker 2: So the video is actually protective. 380 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: Amazing. How often do you get in there? And I 381 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: would imagine the answer is not much. But so you've 382 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:56,439 Speaker 1: got all the stuff that you need to see and 383 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: analyze beforehand, do you ever get in there and you're surprised, like, oh, 384 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: I didn't think this would be here, or I expect. 385 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 2: That, not surprised about the location of something. I know 386 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 2: to a millimeter where something is going to be because 387 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 2: you can tell on the scan. The MRI scan is 388 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 2: high resolution imaging, so I know exactly where something is 389 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 2: going to be. What can be a surprise is what 390 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,959 Speaker 2: that thing is made of, or how stuck it is, 391 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: or how adherent it is to different structures. That's the 392 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 2: only real surprise. Like the spinal timber, for example, I 393 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 2: knew to a millimeter where the top of the bottom 394 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 2: of that, where the lateral the medial margin was. What 395 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 2: I was unsure about is what it was actually going 396 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 2: to look and feel like. Was it going to be 397 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,199 Speaker 2: soft and gelatinous and come out easy. Was it going 398 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 2: to be tough and fibrous where it's going to be 399 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 2: a bit more difficult to take out. So it's difficult 400 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 2: to judge what something is going to be. Consistency of 401 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,680 Speaker 2: the stuff is going to be like, which is makes 402 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 2: a huge impact on how you deal with it. If 403 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 2: something soft and gelatinous, that's quite easy to remove. If 404 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 2: it's fibrous and densely adherent to stuff, and that's a 405 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 2: lot more difficult to remove. So that's the unknown. 406 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: I never thought of that. So when you're cutting out 407 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: something that's soft and gooey versus something that's tougher and 408 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: more fibrous and dense, do you use the exact same tool, 409 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,959 Speaker 1: the exact same scalpel or whatever, or is it? There 410 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,760 Speaker 1: are a bunch of you go no, this is like 411 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,119 Speaker 1: removing an old bit of leather boots. 412 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,439 Speaker 2: So we use something different. There's something different. This tumor 413 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 2: on Friday was soft into latinous. So the tumor has 414 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 2: a capsule which has possibly got nerve fibers running through 415 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,159 Speaker 2: the capsule, so you have to preserve the capsule. So 416 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 2: I make a linear cut through the capsule, which is 417 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,919 Speaker 2: like half a millimeter thick, and it springs open and 418 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 2: reveals the sort of soft latinous tumor underneath. 419 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: Sin. 420 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 2: As I see that, I know this is going to 421 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 2: go well. And there's a curet that's a bit spoon shaped, 422 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 2: and I essentially slide it between the tumor and the capsule, 423 00:21:55,840 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 2: and it's like scooping out a pee out of a pod, almost, 424 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 2: and I just gently separate it and gently separated and 425 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 2: gently free it up. There's a couple of places where 426 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,680 Speaker 2: it's densely adherent, and there's a micro scissor. It's beautiful 427 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 2: micro scissor and that's used to divide where it's densely 428 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: adherent and then it comes out comes out quite nicely. 429 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 2: If it's more fibrous. We've got this beautiful machine called 430 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 2: a CUSA CUSA which stands for Cavetron Ultrasonic aspirator. It's brilliant. 431 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 2: It's this fine tip and it uses I think it's 432 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 2: an ultrasonic wave to fracture the tissue at the tip 433 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 2: and then it asperates the fractured tissue, so in effect, 434 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 2: it's like having a pencil and at the tip of 435 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:45,679 Speaker 2: the pencil the tumor just dissolves and goes up the sucker. 436 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 2: So it can be quite fibrous and dense and it 437 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,159 Speaker 2: will just literally dissolve it and suck it. And the 438 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 2: beautiful instrument for tumors are a lot more dense. We 439 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 2: joke that the CUSA actually c USA stands for can't 440 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 2: use straight up because it takes about forty minutes to 441 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 2: set the thing up. 442 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: That's hilarious. Is there any I don't know if I 443 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 1: want to ask this question, but I know you'll answer 444 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 1: it honestly in general terms, like I think people a 445 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: lot of people have been essentially led to believe that 446 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 1: if you're going to have surgery, make sure you get 447 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: the surgeon. Make sure you get your surgery in the morning, 448 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: because that's when the surgeon's at his or her best, 449 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: and surgeons are human. I would imagine that that might 450 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: be true, or is that not true, or it depends. 451 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 2: I see a patient in the anesthetic bay, and it 452 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 2: doesn't matter where they are on the list. If they're first, 453 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 2: I say, you're first up, everyone's fresh. You're in the 454 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 2: best position. If they're fourth on the list, I walk 455 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 2: in there, I say, we've done three already. Everybody's warmed 456 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 2: up and got their eye, and you're in the best position. 457 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 2: It doesn't matter. They all have a laugh and it 458 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 2: relaxes them. It doesn't matter because every operation, the experience 459 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 2: is the same, which is a laser focus. Sitting around 460 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 2: and waiting is different. You've got a bit more energy 461 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 2: waiting in the morning and the evening, the waiting is 462 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 2: you know, a bit more painful. But as soon as 463 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:14,920 Speaker 2: the microscope gets wheeled into place, the brain just switches 464 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 2: on and it becomes a laser focus and it's like 465 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 2: nothing has changed. It's like the first case. Wow. 466 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: You spoke before about how the idea that you walk 467 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:27,360 Speaker 1: and it's going to be a good day because you've 468 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: got the team that you love, You've got your dream team. 469 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: Who organizes that, Like do you go, I want to 470 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 1: work with these people or do you just show up 471 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: on the day? And it depends who's rostered on. 472 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 2: The nursing staff are rosted, the anesthetic staff. I have 473 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 2: relationships with those guys and have essentially elected to work 474 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 2: with them, and that's the dynamics. Over time, you sort 475 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 2: of start to get the team that you want to 476 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 2: have with the nursing staff and the scrub team they're 477 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 2: rosted that you start to get more and more time 478 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 2: with the people that you like. 479 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: Do you think over time like racking up all the 480 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 1: surgeries that you've done and are doing, and of course 481 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,679 Speaker 1: everyone who's doing a job, over time, you know, develop 482 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 1: skill and competence and all of those things. Do you 483 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: think that you've become calmer? Not that you were probably 484 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: ever chaotic, but like I think most of us doing 485 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 1: obviously most of us wouldn't do what you do, but 486 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: something where the potential consequences are so big, you know, 487 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: one way or the other. I mean, that's for us 488 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 1: mere mortals. That's a recipe for fucking overthinking, self doubt, rumination, anxiety. 489 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: But obviously those things don't work being in any of 490 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: those states don't work. When you need so much fine 491 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:05,640 Speaker 1: motor skill, so much calmness, and so much presence, how 492 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: do you stay calm but also at the same time 493 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: fully alert and switched. 494 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 2: On watching a mental watching and learning during the training years. Again, 495 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 2: my guide out in Hobart still the most naturally gifted 496 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 2: guy I've seen around Australia, and I've been around Australia. 497 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 2: It was observing him under pressure and how he reacted 498 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 2: to it. I still remember a pediatric brain tumor case. 499 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 2: It went for ten hours or something like that, and 500 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,200 Speaker 2: he just stood there with his shoulders down, his elbows 501 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 2: by his side, risk just moving slowly, slowly for that 502 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 2: whole time. And at the time I was like, why 503 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 2: is he taking so long? I'm tired, I want to 504 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 2: go home, let's wrap this up. Until I had a 505 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 2: case of a pediatric brain tumor that I was doing 506 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 2: on my own. I've told this story before. I think 507 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 2: it was. It started at eight or nine and went 508 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 2: through to eleven o'clock that night. Difficult pediatric tumor, and 509 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 2: it was stuck to the brain stem. It was bleeding profusely. 510 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,239 Speaker 2: Progress was super slow. At times, it was hard to 511 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 2: make out what was tumor and what was normal brain stem. 512 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 2: And the brain stem is highest priced real estate you 513 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:24,439 Speaker 2: can get in the brain. I touched that and there 514 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 2: are huge consequences. So that was extremely incredibly stressful operation. 515 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 2: And I thought, this is probably what my mentor was feeling. 516 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 2: This is the emotions he was feeling during that ten 517 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 2: hour case. He was looking at that structure, going is 518 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 2: that tumor? 519 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 1: Or? 520 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:43,160 Speaker 2: Is that is that I need? I don't know. I 521 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:45,199 Speaker 2: imagine that that's what was going through his head. And 522 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 2: I only worked that out when I was doing the case. 523 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 2: But at the time he was just composed and just 524 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 2: went millimeter by millimeter. I just remember that, and during 525 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 2: this pediatric tumor case of mine, I just replicated that. 526 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 2: I just kipped my head, kept my car and knew 527 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:05,400 Speaker 2: that it was okay just to proceed slowly. I learned 528 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 2: a huge amount just watching this guy. The other thing, 529 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,360 Speaker 2: Do I stay calm I think I get I am 530 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 2: definitely calm and get calmer with time, but I get 531 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:23,920 Speaker 2: not agitated. But I don't think grumpy is the right 532 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:29,879 Speaker 2: word either. But it's essentially I get shorter and clearer 533 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 2: and maybe a little bit blunter with instructions in theater 534 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 2: because I know more now the value of nipping any 535 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 2: variable in the bud, any new variable that's introduced during theater. 536 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 2: If you allow too many new variables to accumulate, that's 537 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 2: when you start getting complications. So my instructions are crystal clear, 538 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 2: and I'm actually quite blunt, and if there is a 539 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 2: minor variation to that, I stop, corrected and then move forward. 540 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 2: And it can be the simplest thing. The screen needs 541 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,720 Speaker 2: to be facing this particular way, the drape needs to 542 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 2: be on a certain way, The instrument needs to always 543 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 2: be the same. Told the story of the hammer they 544 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 2: handed me during a spine operation, a hammer that I 545 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 2: was not expecting. It was a slightly smaller one. They 546 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 2: had a laugh, and I was quite short and blunt 547 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 2: back at them, Not because I'm just a toxic, a 548 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: difficult personality, but I was nipping a variable in the bud. 549 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 2: They don't understand that variable, but if you have enough 550 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 2: of them, it just disorientates you. And then once you 551 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:45,959 Speaker 2: start getting disorientated, that's where complications occur. Every time, almost invariably, 552 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 2: if there's a complication, you can trace it back to 553 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:52,360 Speaker 2: a root pause. It's when this step wasn't normal, but 554 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 2: you accepted it and thought, oh, that's okay. We'll just 555 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 2: get on with the case and move forward. And so again, 556 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 2: my guy down in Hobart, he had white line fever. 557 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 2: If anything change in theater, he would just he would 558 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 2: just get so angry. And I couldn't understand it at 559 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 2: the time, and I don't condone that sort of behavior, 560 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 2: but I understand the concept of of what he was, 561 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 2: what his philosophy was, don't give me a new variable. 562 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 2: It's the same time every time, because if I do that, 563 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 2: then I'm least likely to have a complication and I'm 564 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 2: going to do my best work. 565 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: And I think, also, that's amazing, thank you for that. 566 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: Like dealing with people like every every day, you're dealing 567 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: literally with life and death, like literally like and so 568 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 1: you don't really. 569 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 2: Happen in hups. It's worse than that. It's not life 570 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 2: and death, it's it's life and life with a morbidity. 571 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 2: The worst thing is for someone to I mean, obviously 572 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 2: death is bad, but that really happens. The bad thing 573 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 2: if someone goes in and they're normal and they come 574 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 2: out with a neurological deficit, they have to live the 575 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 2: rest of their life with that neurological deficit. Right, That's 576 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 2: that's the worst outcome. You go in there and you're 577 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 2: able to speak, and you come out and you can't speak, 578 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 2: Or you go in there and your foot is working 579 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 2: and you come out with a foot drop. It's a 580 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 2: huge burden on your quality of life. That's that's really that. Yes, 581 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 2: death is bad, but it really happens. It's causing a 582 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 2: irreversible problem that they then have to live with for 583 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 2: the rest of their life. That's the thing we really fear. 584 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I had not thought of that. That is fucking terrifying. 585 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: And I guess also when you're under that pressure and 586 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: you're making decisions and doing the thing that you don't 587 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 1: you don't really in that moment have the bandwidth to 588 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 1: be able to want to or have to cater to 589 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: people's individual emotions and to keep everyone you know happy 590 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: in because you're just doing your thing. So it's not 591 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: your job to take or to be responsible for how 592 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 1: everyone's feeling in the middle of that surgical reality. 593 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 2: I don't even think about it. Teamwork is really important. 594 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 2: And when a scrub nurse hands me something that is perfect, 595 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 2: which means I'm looking down the microscope, I hand out 596 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 2: my hand and they put the instrument in my hand 597 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 2: in such a way. I just got to close my 598 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 2: hand and put it back in. And if they do that, 599 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 2: I say, perfect, that was perfect, thank you. And if 600 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 2: I hold my hand out and then they give it 601 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 2: to me as if what's easy for them, Like they 602 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 2: grab the instrument in their hand and they hand it 603 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 2: to me, so it's pointing the wrong way. I've got 604 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:48,840 Speaker 2: to move my hand then to grasp that. I don't 605 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:50,480 Speaker 2: even do that anyway. I say give it to me properly. 606 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 2: I actually give it back to them. Say give it 607 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 2: to me properly. And because it's teamwork, you know, they 608 00:32:58,400 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 2: get the best out of me when I get the 609 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 2: best out of them. So I reinforce great behavior and 610 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 2: I ask for it in return. We have something called 611 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,800 Speaker 2: the Mayo table, which is a It sounds fancy, but 612 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 2: essentially it's just a tray that sits on top of 613 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 2: the bed, but it's got some legs onto the floor. 614 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 2: It's called basically sit instruments on this on this mayo table. 615 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:23,880 Speaker 2: And when that mayo table, it's got a lot of 616 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 2: instruments that the scrub nurse is using. It's the stuff 617 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,480 Speaker 2: that I'm using is going on and off, back and forwards. 618 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 2: When that mayo is organized, all the instruments are lined up, dunk. 619 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 2: I say that the mayo is a is a glimpse 620 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 2: into the scrub nurse's mind. The mayo is a reflection 621 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 2: of the mind. When that mayo is organized, I feel organized. 622 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,960 Speaker 2: I feel they are organized, and I'm confident in them. 623 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 2: And I say that, I actually say that. I said 624 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 2: that your mayo is very clean and tidy. Clearly, your 625 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 2: mind is very clear clear at the moment, I appreciate that. 626 00:33:55,760 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, how quickly or slowly does neurosurgery evolve? I feel 627 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,960 Speaker 1: it's probably not linear. It's probably on an incline at 628 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: the moment. With tech or what the fuck do I know? 629 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 2: Give usked a fascinating question, And I've written an article 630 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 2: on this. There is some technology at the moment, like 631 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:27,759 Speaker 2: a robot or the endoscope for spine surgery quite a 632 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 2: bit of tech at the moment where it's a huge 633 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:37,800 Speaker 2: expenditure to develop that tech, massive expenditure and the price 634 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 2: to purchase this equipment is phenomenal, the million dollars for 635 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 2: a piece of equipment, and the benefit to the patient 636 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:52,799 Speaker 2: is extremely marginal. And the reason I say that you 637 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:57,240 Speaker 2: just wind back the clock not far at all. CT 638 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:01,320 Speaker 2: scan which revolutionize medicine. I mean Planet Earth probably stopped 639 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 2: spinning for about two seconds when the CT scan arrived 640 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 2: at address Planet Earth. That was developed on a shoe 641 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 2: string budget by a guy from the Second World War 642 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 2: who is working with radar, and over three years persevered 643 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 2: and against expectations, came up with the CT scanner. Minimal expenditure, 644 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:32,480 Speaker 2: exponential effect on medicine and patient outcomes. The same with 645 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:37,240 Speaker 2: MRI scan and in eurosurgery. There's some beings, some texts. 646 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:40,479 Speaker 2: The big one for us is stereotactic. That is using 647 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 2: a computer to be able to decide where something is 648 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:47,959 Speaker 2: inside the brain or the spine that's mainly inside the brain, 649 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:50,640 Speaker 2: and so we use it all the time. If there's 650 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:53,439 Speaker 2: a tumor that's three centimeters blow the surface of the brain, 651 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:55,799 Speaker 2: this computer can tell us on the skin where that 652 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:57,880 Speaker 2: projection is, so we can get the cut on the 653 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 2: scalp in the perfect position. Stereotactic surgery revolutionize the game, 654 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:12,440 Speaker 2: and now it feels like industry brings out technology for 655 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:17,000 Speaker 2: the purposes of maintaining earnings for the quarter, and in 656 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 2: a way, without being cynical, in a way, a lot 657 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 2: of tech at the moment gives whoever's got that tech 658 00:36:24,719 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 2: a commercial advantage. If this hospital has got a robot 659 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,720 Speaker 2: and this hospital does not have a robot, then obviously 660 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 2: this hospital is better and that's where people should go. 661 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 2: And that's a big part of a landscape at the moment. 662 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:43,759 Speaker 2: So hospitals are forced to buy this equipment because another 663 00:36:43,800 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 2: hospital has got it without it at a disadvantage in 664 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:48,640 Speaker 2: terms of their quality of care. But really the quality 665 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 2: of care is almost unchanged. And it's a really dangerous 666 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 2: landscape that we're entering where there's becoming more and more 667 00:36:55,560 --> 00:37:00,319 Speaker 2: of a push by industry to adopt this technology for 668 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:05,800 Speaker 2: their shareholders and less so for actual patient outcomes. Huge 669 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 2: expenditure for very very marginal outcome, but it's a really 670 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:14,520 Speaker 2: easy sell to the patient. I use a robot. How 671 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:18,920 Speaker 2: could you resist that I use an endoscope for spine surgery. 672 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:24,359 Speaker 2: It's truly keyhole surgery. How do you say no to that? 673 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:25,200 Speaker 1: Yes? 674 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:30,759 Speaker 2: Yes, the reality behind the scenes is slightly different, and 675 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 2: it's much harder to sell the fact that perhaps that 676 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:37,279 Speaker 2: robot doesn't actually change very much at all, and there's 677 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 2: a different reason that hospital has a robot. That's a 678 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,880 Speaker 2: hard sell. But just to say we have a robot 679 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 2: is a very easy cell. 680 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, What about I don't even know if this 681 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:51,879 Speaker 1: is a good question, So if it's dumb, I'll take 682 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:59,120 Speaker 1: it out. What about current or future surgical treatments for 683 00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:05,960 Speaker 1: neurological diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and so on? Is there 684 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 1: do you ever do? Is that a thing? 685 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 2: Alzheimer's No, Parkinson's, Yes, Parkinson's disease. The surgical treatment for 686 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 2: that is phenomenal. The fuck has three parts of the rigidity, 687 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:23,640 Speaker 2: the hand tremor, and then they walk really stiff and slow, 688 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:27,759 Speaker 2: and it can be completely debilitating. There are drugs for it. 689 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:31,760 Speaker 2: But there's an operation called deep brain stimulation. The target 690 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:34,279 Speaker 2: is a few millimeters wide, deep in the center of 691 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:36,960 Speaker 2: the brain, and the target was discovered by accident. A 692 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:39,640 Speaker 2: number of years ago, but now we've got the target 693 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:41,440 Speaker 2: and we can put a probe into that target and 694 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 2: stimulate or cause a lesion in that target. The effect 695 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 2: is phenomenal. A patient can be completely immobilized and incapacitated 696 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:58,759 Speaker 2: by their Parkinson's symptoms and then post surgery getting towards 697 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:02,879 Speaker 2: barely recognizable, almost back to normal. There's another condition called 698 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:08,440 Speaker 2: a central tremor, which again is a type of neurodegenerative condition. Essentially, 699 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,319 Speaker 2: when their hand is at rest, it's fine, but when 700 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:12,840 Speaker 2: they go out to reach something, the hand starts shaking violently. 701 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:14,439 Speaker 2: You may have seen it. They reach out to grab 702 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 2: a glass of water, and the closer you get to 703 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:20,520 Speaker 2: the glass of water, the hand just starts just shaking uncontrollably. 704 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:22,640 Speaker 2: It's obviously they can't use their hand for anything because 705 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:24,480 Speaker 2: as soon as they go to do something, it's called 706 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:26,480 Speaker 2: an action tremor. As soon as they use the hand 707 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 2: for anything, the hand just completely starts flailing around. And 708 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:33,960 Speaker 2: then after deep brain stimulation the hand works completely normally 709 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:37,919 Speaker 2: like it's a phenomenal before and after video. So that's 710 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 2: been around for a while. The accuracy is what's improved 711 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:48,000 Speaker 2: exactly where that probe goes in what location and ensuring 712 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:52,000 Speaker 2: the accuracy. That is certainly improved. The instruments we have 713 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:54,880 Speaker 2: to do the surgery have improved, making it easier to 714 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:58,640 Speaker 2: manipulate tissues and do things safely. But for lo the 715 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:02,640 Speaker 2: philosophy is the same. Surgery is a game of physicality. 716 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:05,479 Speaker 2: It's removing something that shouldn't be there, or putting something 717 00:40:05,520 --> 00:40:09,360 Speaker 2: back in its normal place, or fixing something that's physically broken. 718 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:12,719 Speaker 2: That's essentially the name of the game. If it comes 719 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 2: to brain tumors, the outcomes for a lot of them 720 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:18,600 Speaker 2: haven't changed in fifty years. Surgery hasn't changed. The only 721 00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:20,760 Speaker 2: thing that's really going to change that is drugs. 722 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:25,279 Speaker 1: So a friend of mine's got an essential tremor. I 723 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:28,120 Speaker 1: did not know what you just told me, So I'm 724 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:31,759 Speaker 1: going to ring him after this. How long? 725 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 2: How long does that procedure take? Give or take not 726 00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:38,880 Speaker 2: long at all? The planning takes a while going to 727 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 2: do a scan of the brain and identify that target 728 00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:43,880 Speaker 2: and his minuscule harps. It's a tiny target deep in 729 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:46,439 Speaker 2: the brain. Planning is a big part of that. Doing 730 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:48,200 Speaker 2: the operation, they'll do it in under an hour. 731 00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:53,360 Speaker 1: Wow, And what's the chances of a good outcome. 732 00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:55,600 Speaker 2: In someone who's experience, who knows how to do the 733 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:58,440 Speaker 2: planning and to minimize risk, and has experience in minimizing 734 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:01,360 Speaker 2: the risk and the one of the big challenges is 735 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:03,920 Speaker 2: that the brain moves, so it moves with each heartbeat, 736 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 2: so you kind of have a moving target. You have 737 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:08,440 Speaker 2: a moving target when you put it in, but also 738 00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:10,960 Speaker 2: when it's actually in the brain's still moving, so it's 739 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:13,960 Speaker 2: still like a moving target for the stationary tip. People 740 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 2: have experienced doing that and know how to work around that, 741 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:21,719 Speaker 2: their chances of success are high. 742 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:24,439 Speaker 1: What's the bit of the brain called where you said, 743 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:27,160 Speaker 1: we accidentally found this out and it's like a bit 744 00:41:27,200 --> 00:41:29,360 Speaker 1: of the brain that's a few millimeters what's it called. 745 00:41:30,239 --> 00:41:32,359 Speaker 2: One of them is called the VIM which I think 746 00:41:32,440 --> 00:41:37,520 Speaker 2: is the ventral intermediary something. I'll have to look that up. 747 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:41,839 Speaker 2: I can't remember. V im is is the acronym. There's 748 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:44,560 Speaker 2: a couple of targets. There's a subthallomic target. I'm not 749 00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:47,640 Speaker 2: an expert in this, but there's a subfalloming target. There's 750 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,840 Speaker 2: a couple of other targets. It was absolutely discovered that 751 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:54,319 Speaker 2: the story goes. I think it was. I think it 752 00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:57,000 Speaker 2: was last century. A guy was doing a blood vessel 753 00:41:57,040 --> 00:42:01,480 Speaker 2: operation like in ancient times, and he clipped the wrong 754 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:05,400 Speaker 2: blood vessel as he would do because he didn't have 755 00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:08,160 Speaker 2: microscopes and modern instruments. He clipped the wrong blood vessel 756 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:12,160 Speaker 2: and the patient woke up and their tremor was gone. 757 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:15,680 Speaker 2: He hadn't fixed the original blood vessel problem that he'd 758 00:42:15,719 --> 00:42:18,840 Speaker 2: set out to fix, but he couldn't help but notice 759 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:24,200 Speaker 2: the patient's tremor had completely disappeared. And I think that 760 00:42:24,280 --> 00:42:26,640 Speaker 2: they did. They didn't even have a scan of that time. 761 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:28,879 Speaker 2: I think they did a post mortem and worked out 762 00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:32,000 Speaker 2: where that stroke was in the brain and then started 763 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:33,400 Speaker 2: putting two and two together. 764 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:36,279 Speaker 1: So they had to kind of reverse engineer it to 765 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:39,160 Speaker 1: figure out how that fucking fixed it correct. 766 00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 2: That is, that is the one I wound up understanding 767 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:47,640 Speaker 2: the human brain. The only way that we have gathered 768 00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:50,719 Speaker 2: any valuable information about the function of human brain is 769 00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:52,920 Speaker 2: to observe the broken and work backwards. 770 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:57,239 Speaker 1: It wasn't that the way that they discovered viagra as well. 771 00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:01,680 Speaker 1: Wasn't that meant to be like some kind of vasil 772 00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:05,080 Speaker 1: vaso dilator or something for blood pressure and it ended 773 00:43:05,160 --> 00:43:06,720 Speaker 1: up giving blokes hard cocks? 774 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:12,600 Speaker 2: Yep. It was for pulmary hypertension and this side effect. 775 00:43:14,760 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 1: And then they're like, hey, we invented this, We've we've 776 00:43:17,760 --> 00:43:21,200 Speaker 1: solved one of the biggest problems for men of all time. 777 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:23,880 Speaker 1: You're welcome. And then nobody solved it at all. They 778 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:25,480 Speaker 1: just fucking stumbled across it. 779 00:43:26,120 --> 00:43:29,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a phenomenal story is at Viagra and with 780 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:31,880 Speaker 2: the tie. It's a great name, it's a great product 781 00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:34,680 Speaker 2: that that will be if if that was your project 782 00:43:35,239 --> 00:43:37,680 Speaker 2: that fires or whoever made that, that's that's a legacy 783 00:43:37,719 --> 00:43:39,600 Speaker 2: that is that's a game changer. 784 00:43:40,080 --> 00:43:45,120 Speaker 1: One hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah. Have you ever have you 785 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:48,840 Speaker 1: ever encountered a case of been involved in a case 786 00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:56,600 Speaker 1: that fundamentally changed how you viewed the brain or consciousness 787 00:43:56,719 --> 00:43:59,360 Speaker 1: or the way that you just looked at it in general, 788 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,800 Speaker 1: or perhaps you heard of a case or you reviewed 789 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:10,160 Speaker 1: a case or something, or there's been no real surprises, but. 790 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:13,960 Speaker 2: There was one central case that changed the way I 791 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:18,200 Speaker 2: looked at the human brain. Awake Cranny oto me patients 792 00:44:18,239 --> 00:44:21,960 Speaker 2: awake during surgery. And I've done it many times before. 793 00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:24,520 Speaker 2: This was the first time I was doing it as 794 00:44:24,560 --> 00:44:29,319 Speaker 2: a consultant, so fully qualified. And the thing that rattled me. 795 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:32,000 Speaker 2: The thing that I realized for the first time in 796 00:44:32,040 --> 00:44:36,799 Speaker 2: my career was essentially the mystery of the physical and 797 00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:39,360 Speaker 2: the non physical, that gap between the physical and non physical. 798 00:44:39,520 --> 00:44:41,759 Speaker 2: So what I mean is I could see the human brain, 799 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:44,439 Speaker 2: and I'd seen it a thousand times before, and because 800 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:48,480 Speaker 2: the patients awake under the drape, I could see them 801 00:44:48,520 --> 00:44:51,720 Speaker 2: having a conscious experience, and I understood for the first 802 00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:54,919 Speaker 2: time what people were talking about between that gap between 803 00:44:54,960 --> 00:44:59,279 Speaker 2: the physical brain and this non physical thing that is experience, 804 00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:04,800 Speaker 2: you know, feelings, seeing, hearing, all that sort of stuff. 805 00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:08,000 Speaker 2: And it was it was, it was. It was a 806 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:10,840 Speaker 2: game changer for me to see that played out in 807 00:45:10,920 --> 00:45:15,279 Speaker 2: theater and there was what was really was. I don't 808 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 2: know why I only thought about it at that particular time. 809 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:20,960 Speaker 2: I remember the day that it happened and I just sort 810 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:23,799 Speaker 2: of started thinking deeply about it. I just never thought 811 00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:25,120 Speaker 2: about it, and all of a sudden it did a 812 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:30,280 Speaker 2: deep dive in theater in that moment exploring the topic. 813 00:45:30,640 --> 00:45:33,480 Speaker 2: During the operation, there was no clue on the surface 814 00:45:33,520 --> 00:45:37,600 Speaker 2: of the brain of how that physical brain was connecting 815 00:45:37,640 --> 00:45:40,520 Speaker 2: with the non physical world. There was just no clue. 816 00:45:40,880 --> 00:45:44,120 Speaker 2: It was just pulsating with a heartbeat, but it wasn't 817 00:45:44,160 --> 00:45:46,640 Speaker 2: glowing green, and there was no sparkles and no distortion 818 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:51,680 Speaker 2: in the atmosphere, which there should have been, because it's 819 00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:55,799 Speaker 2: still the greatest mystery known to man how the human 820 00:45:55,840 --> 00:45:59,320 Speaker 2: brain does that. It's a complete void, how that physical 821 00:45:59,320 --> 00:46:03,880 Speaker 2: brain creates the non physical phenomena of experience. There should 822 00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:11,880 Speaker 2: be some supernatural evidence of how it's doing that, and 823 00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:14,440 Speaker 2: it's and there just isn't. It's just a white brain pulsating. 824 00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:16,960 Speaker 2: It's as physical as your arm or your delt muscle 825 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:19,680 Speaker 2: or you know, your heart. It's as physical as everything else, 826 00:46:20,120 --> 00:46:23,120 Speaker 2: yet it's got this magical quality of creating consciousness. And 827 00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:27,000 Speaker 2: looking at the brain, I realize what everybody was talking about. 828 00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:30,040 Speaker 2: There's just no evidence about how it's doing that. I 829 00:46:30,040 --> 00:46:32,759 Speaker 2: couldn't hear any voices from heaven. I couldn't. There was 830 00:46:32,840 --> 00:46:35,440 Speaker 2: just nothing. And it was a unique situation because the 831 00:46:35,440 --> 00:46:38,279 Speaker 2: patient was actually awake, having a conscious experience, where usually 832 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:41,719 Speaker 2: there are sleeps of general anisex bond them out, but 833 00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:45,160 Speaker 2: they're having the actual non physical experience and I can 834 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:47,080 Speaker 2: see the physicals, I can see the physical, and I 835 00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:49,600 Speaker 2: can see the evidence of the non physical in the 836 00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:53,919 Speaker 2: same person. And no link between the two of them. 837 00:46:54,560 --> 00:46:56,640 Speaker 2: And I thought, that is that is a cool mystery. 838 00:46:56,680 --> 00:46:59,359 Speaker 2: Like I get what people are talking about when they 839 00:46:59,360 --> 00:47:02,400 Speaker 2: say that's the thing they really want to understand before 840 00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:06,120 Speaker 2: they die. I mean, that is that's a that's a 841 00:47:06,120 --> 00:47:09,600 Speaker 2: brain breaker. That is I remember that day. I was like, 842 00:47:09,680 --> 00:47:11,920 Speaker 2: I get it. That is that actually is very cool. 843 00:47:12,360 --> 00:47:14,919 Speaker 2: That is that is the greatest mystery known to man 844 00:47:15,160 --> 00:47:17,080 Speaker 2: playing out right in front of me. It's like a 845 00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:22,160 Speaker 2: front row seat, no answers, but you know, I kind 846 00:47:22,160 --> 00:47:24,440 Speaker 2: of like the mystery. I like it hasn't been solved, 847 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:27,600 Speaker 2: but as a found moment to see it actually played 848 00:47:27,680 --> 00:47:29,880 Speaker 2: out in front of you, it'd be like, are you're 849 00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:32,959 Speaker 2: visiting a black hole? Like that's just imagine if Eli 850 00:47:33,040 --> 00:47:34,520 Speaker 2: Must said I can fly you to a black hole. 851 00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:36,279 Speaker 2: Not only can you stand on the edge of the 852 00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:38,160 Speaker 2: black hole, I'll let you go in for five seconds 853 00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:41,880 Speaker 2: just to see what it's like. You'd be like, oh, yeah. 854 00:47:41,040 --> 00:47:44,480 Speaker 1: Well, I mean it's funny because my job kind of 855 00:47:44,560 --> 00:47:46,480 Speaker 1: is the mind and your job is the brain, and 856 00:47:46,520 --> 00:47:48,880 Speaker 1: we know they're related, but we kind of don't really 857 00:47:48,920 --> 00:47:52,640 Speaker 1: know how you know, and that the truth is, we 858 00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:55,080 Speaker 1: don't really have evidence of a mind only evidence of 859 00:47:55,120 --> 00:47:58,279 Speaker 1: a brain, you know, and we know that there's consciousness, 860 00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:00,880 Speaker 1: and we know that there's a brain, but we don't 861 00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:04,880 Speaker 1: know how one arises from the other. And neuroscience is 862 00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:07,440 Speaker 1: having a big crack at it. But I don't know 863 00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:09,759 Speaker 1: that we're going to understand that anytime soon. And maybe 864 00:48:09,760 --> 00:48:13,120 Speaker 1: it's good that we don't. Maybe that is that spiritual part, 865 00:48:14,239 --> 00:48:17,600 Speaker 1: maybe there is, maybe there's you know, well, there's definitely 866 00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:20,960 Speaker 1: stuff that we you know. I think that when we 867 00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:27,839 Speaker 1: can't understand or explain something in science, we're very uncomfortable 868 00:48:27,880 --> 00:48:32,880 Speaker 1: to go, well, it exists, but we don't get it. 869 00:48:33,160 --> 00:48:35,160 Speaker 1: And I think sometimes we've just got to say, you know, 870 00:48:35,640 --> 00:48:38,560 Speaker 1: on our current level of with our current level of 871 00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:43,360 Speaker 1: knowledge science, you know, ability to examine whatever we don't know, 872 00:48:43,480 --> 00:48:46,719 Speaker 1: and it's okay that we don't know, you know. And 873 00:48:46,760 --> 00:48:48,600 Speaker 1: even some of the things we think we do know, 874 00:48:49,120 --> 00:48:51,040 Speaker 1: we find out in ten years, oh, we didn't know 875 00:48:51,120 --> 00:48:52,759 Speaker 1: that at all. We only thought we knew. 876 00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:55,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's two things I want to say about that. 877 00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:57,759 Speaker 2: It's interesting. Number One, I feel like technology will be 878 00:48:57,800 --> 00:48:59,839 Speaker 2: the antsick because it has been the answer up till date. 879 00:48:59,840 --> 00:49:03,600 Speaker 2: If you'd said to Caesar Julius Caesar, DNA, Show me DNA, 880 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:05,440 Speaker 2: tell me about it, what does it look like, how 881 00:49:05,440 --> 00:49:08,160 Speaker 2: does it work? He would just lock you up in 882 00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:12,120 Speaker 2: an asylum. You think you're crazy. He's got no chance 883 00:49:12,160 --> 00:49:15,360 Speaker 2: of understanding an atom or what it looks like, or 884 00:49:15,719 --> 00:49:19,799 Speaker 2: what DNA is, And just that's completely ethereal concept, not 885 00:49:19,800 --> 00:49:25,080 Speaker 2: even a concept, and technology, through X ray technology and 886 00:49:25,160 --> 00:49:29,120 Speaker 2: mathematics was able to uncover that. So I feel like 887 00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:33,160 Speaker 2: consciousness today is much of a bizarre concept as DNA 888 00:49:33,160 --> 00:49:37,600 Speaker 2: would have been to Julius Caesar, solved by technology, and 889 00:49:37,640 --> 00:49:39,560 Speaker 2: so there's a lot who feel that probably will be 890 00:49:39,600 --> 00:49:42,680 Speaker 2: the answer for this as well. But there is an interesting, 891 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:48,319 Speaker 2: interesting catch with the mind, as you know, it's called 892 00:49:48,320 --> 00:49:52,360 Speaker 2: the other minds problem, meaning I can never examine I 893 00:49:52,400 --> 00:49:55,920 Speaker 2: can never experience someone else's mind. I can only experience 894 00:49:55,960 --> 00:49:59,080 Speaker 2: my own mind. I can only examine my own mind. 895 00:49:59,120 --> 00:50:01,080 Speaker 2: I could never I mean I can do it through 896 00:50:01,120 --> 00:50:03,879 Speaker 2: some surrogate Marcus, asking some questions and things like that, 897 00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:07,960 Speaker 2: that I can never enter your mind to experiment on 898 00:50:08,040 --> 00:50:10,279 Speaker 2: it and try and study it. 899 00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:14,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, well that there's a whole area of research in 900 00:50:14,200 --> 00:50:18,000 Speaker 1: psych called theory of mind, which is that which is 901 00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:21,520 Speaker 1: trying to understand the mind of somebody else, and then 902 00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:26,040 Speaker 1: you know, but again, it's it's really just high level guessing, 903 00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:30,520 Speaker 1: or in some instances low level guessing, trying to understand 904 00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:33,920 Speaker 1: somebody else's version. And you and I have spoken about 905 00:50:33,920 --> 00:50:36,960 Speaker 1: this between ourselves. But you know, when we go, all right, well, 906 00:50:37,040 --> 00:50:40,760 Speaker 1: let's say ten thousand people listen to this chat, nobody's 907 00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:43,399 Speaker 1: going to have an identical experience. There might be some 908 00:50:43,600 --> 00:50:48,040 Speaker 1: very similar experiences, but that's it's it's likely now that 909 00:50:48,120 --> 00:50:50,480 Speaker 1: some people have already tuned out and gone, fuck this, 910 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:53,960 Speaker 1: this is bullshit, And there's it's likely also that some 911 00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:56,480 Speaker 1: people are going, this is ace. I hope it keeps 912 00:50:56,480 --> 00:50:59,759 Speaker 1: going for as long as possible. Some people are this 913 00:50:59,840 --> 00:51:02,440 Speaker 1: is in enlightening some people. This is boring some people, 914 00:51:02,480 --> 00:51:06,160 Speaker 1: this is confusing. And you know, so there's the stimulus 915 00:51:06,200 --> 00:51:12,839 Speaker 1: and then there's the individual's reaction cognitive, emotional, psychological reaction. Yeah, 916 00:51:12,960 --> 00:51:16,520 Speaker 1: and trying to have an insight into like me, trying 917 00:51:16,520 --> 00:51:19,000 Speaker 1: to have an insight into in real time, into how 918 00:51:19,040 --> 00:51:21,640 Speaker 1: you think or how you're feeling, or how this is 919 00:51:21,719 --> 00:51:26,360 Speaker 1: going for you as a conversation, but also simultaneously me 920 00:51:26,600 --> 00:51:30,319 Speaker 1: having a greater than me awareness of the listening experience 921 00:51:30,719 --> 00:51:34,160 Speaker 1: for thousands of people. And so when I ask a question, 922 00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:37,880 Speaker 1: I'm like, what's the best question that I can ask, 923 00:51:38,600 --> 00:51:44,880 Speaker 1: which hopefully will be broadly interesting to the biggest percentage 924 00:51:44,920 --> 00:51:47,800 Speaker 1: of people that I can, you know, rather than I 925 00:51:48,440 --> 00:51:51,080 Speaker 1: want to know things that I'm fascinated in as well. 926 00:51:51,320 --> 00:51:53,839 Speaker 1: But if I think I'm the only one fascinated by 927 00:51:53,840 --> 00:51:57,360 Speaker 1: this question, I'm not asking it, not in this context anyway. 928 00:51:57,760 --> 00:51:58,719 Speaker 2: Does it frustrate you? 929 00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:03,960 Speaker 1: No, I'm fascinated by I mean, ergo my PhD. Right, 930 00:52:04,040 --> 00:52:09,440 Speaker 1: But I'm fascinated with how others think and how others see. 931 00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:13,480 Speaker 1: You know, And then you think about, like, where does 932 00:52:13,520 --> 00:52:19,000 Speaker 1: your version of right, where does your personal experience come from? Well, 933 00:52:19,040 --> 00:52:21,880 Speaker 1: part of it comes from part of it is genetic, 934 00:52:21,920 --> 00:52:23,799 Speaker 1: and part of it comes from the brain and the 935 00:52:23,800 --> 00:52:26,760 Speaker 1: biochemistry of the brain. Correct me if I fuck anything 936 00:52:26,840 --> 00:52:29,320 Speaker 1: up from your end. But part of it is about 937 00:52:29,840 --> 00:52:34,879 Speaker 1: your interpretation of what's going on. You know, some people 938 00:52:34,920 --> 00:52:38,239 Speaker 1: are interpreting this as interesting, and therefore they're in the 939 00:52:38,320 --> 00:52:42,440 Speaker 1: moment experience is that they are interested, that they are fascinated. 940 00:52:43,120 --> 00:52:47,359 Speaker 1: Somebody else's interpretation of the exact same stimulus could be 941 00:52:47,719 --> 00:52:51,719 Speaker 1: this is boring, and their literal experience is boredom. But 942 00:52:52,520 --> 00:52:56,680 Speaker 1: either way, those experience are self created. They're stimulated by you, 943 00:52:56,760 --> 00:52:59,880 Speaker 1: and I bet they're created by the interpreter of the 944 00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:01,200 Speaker 1: data or the stimuli. 945 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:06,799 Speaker 2: It's interesting what you say, and it fascinates me how 946 00:53:06,880 --> 00:53:11,640 Speaker 2: little control we actually have, how easily an external stimulus 947 00:53:11,719 --> 00:53:14,520 Speaker 2: can change the way we feel, think, or what we say. 948 00:53:16,680 --> 00:53:20,200 Speaker 2: And it's almost like we don't have any real control. 949 00:53:21,360 --> 00:53:25,640 Speaker 2: I'm a product of my genetics, shore and my biochemistry, 950 00:53:26,600 --> 00:53:29,960 Speaker 2: but it doesn't take much for me to change the 951 00:53:29,960 --> 00:53:34,719 Speaker 2: way I view the world on a particular day. So 952 00:53:34,760 --> 00:53:37,200 Speaker 2: who am I really? I feel like I'm just a 953 00:53:37,239 --> 00:53:39,520 Speaker 2: complicated stimulus response machine. 954 00:53:40,600 --> 00:53:43,640 Speaker 1: You in some ways you are in some ways we 955 00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:46,759 Speaker 1: all are. And you made a good point, and that 956 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:50,640 Speaker 1: is that nine am Alex might be quite different to 957 00:53:50,800 --> 00:53:55,480 Speaker 1: seven pm alex, depending on you know, whether or not 958 00:53:55,520 --> 00:53:57,640 Speaker 1: you've eaten, how tired you are, whether or not you 959 00:53:57,719 --> 00:54:00,840 Speaker 1: had a blue with Karli, you know, whether not it's raining, 960 00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:03,480 Speaker 1: whether or not one of the dogs did away in 961 00:54:03,520 --> 00:54:07,400 Speaker 1: the house, you know, like that in the moment version 962 00:54:07,440 --> 00:54:11,960 Speaker 1: of you. Sometimes I said this to Melissa yesterday. I said, 963 00:54:12,000 --> 00:54:14,080 Speaker 1: I don't want to jinx it, but I'm not even 964 00:54:14,120 --> 00:54:18,960 Speaker 1: sure why, but lately I feel fucking amazing, and I've 965 00:54:19,000 --> 00:54:22,000 Speaker 1: been trying to figure out what I'm doing that makes 966 00:54:22,040 --> 00:54:24,839 Speaker 1: me feel I'm not saying I am amazing, but I 967 00:54:24,880 --> 00:54:29,800 Speaker 1: feel amazing, you know, like mentally, emotionally, cognitively, I feel sharp, 968 00:54:29,880 --> 00:54:34,399 Speaker 1: I feel physically strong. I'm strong in the gym. I'm 969 00:54:34,760 --> 00:54:38,880 Speaker 1: fucking solving problems like a motherfucker. I'm like everything is 970 00:54:39,000 --> 00:54:41,840 Speaker 1: just and I'm trying to I'm trying to reverse engineer 971 00:54:42,280 --> 00:54:46,280 Speaker 1: what am I doing that is making this this state 972 00:54:46,400 --> 00:54:49,879 Speaker 1: that I'm in because it's not psychological, because it's been a. 973 00:54:49,880 --> 00:54:53,279 Speaker 2: Surprise I was about to finish their PhD to me. 974 00:54:54,400 --> 00:54:57,879 Speaker 1: Maybe that's it. Maybe I can just see the light 975 00:54:57,920 --> 00:55:01,520 Speaker 1: at the end of the academic tunnel. Maybe this all right. 976 00:55:01,560 --> 00:55:03,960 Speaker 1: Let's wind up with one or two questions. Right, this 977 00:55:04,080 --> 00:55:07,799 Speaker 1: is not really your field or your area of expertise, 978 00:55:07,880 --> 00:55:11,040 Speaker 1: but it's in your area of kind of and I 979 00:55:11,080 --> 00:55:13,960 Speaker 1: can chime in on this, but we're not interested in me. 980 00:55:17,200 --> 00:55:20,560 Speaker 1: What advice do you have for people who want to 981 00:55:20,600 --> 00:55:24,480 Speaker 1: look after their brain? And I know that you're not 982 00:55:24,560 --> 00:55:27,920 Speaker 1: really the lifestyle guy or the you know, but I mean, 983 00:55:27,960 --> 00:55:30,800 Speaker 1: you work with brains. And therefore you must have advice 984 00:55:30,880 --> 00:55:34,160 Speaker 1: for people on you know how to best look after 985 00:55:34,239 --> 00:55:39,040 Speaker 1: their brain so that in terms of their choices and behaviors, 986 00:55:40,120 --> 00:55:44,759 Speaker 1: they can keep it working whatever optimally is for them. 987 00:55:45,120 --> 00:55:49,200 Speaker 2: Great question, it's quite simple. Don't stuff it up because 988 00:55:49,200 --> 00:55:53,200 Speaker 2: you've only got one. Basically there reason I say that quickly. 989 00:55:53,800 --> 00:55:57,560 Speaker 2: Story eighteen year old guy drunk got into a fight. 990 00:55:57,840 --> 00:55:59,719 Speaker 2: This was in Perth when I was training, got into 991 00:55:59,719 --> 00:56:03,120 Speaker 2: a fight, got king hit. During the fight. King hit 992 00:56:03,200 --> 00:56:05,560 Speaker 2: for those who don't know, that's being punched in the 993 00:56:05,560 --> 00:56:08,400 Speaker 2: back of the head, so you don't see the assailant coming, 994 00:56:08,520 --> 00:56:10,960 Speaker 2: so you haven't got any of your defenses up, so 995 00:56:11,120 --> 00:56:13,720 Speaker 2: your arm's down by your side. You don't see it coming. 996 00:56:14,280 --> 00:56:15,959 Speaker 2: And when you get punched in the back of the head, 997 00:56:16,080 --> 00:56:19,200 Speaker 2: it knocks you out cold. So you hit the deck, 998 00:56:19,640 --> 00:56:22,560 Speaker 2: which means because you're out cold again, none of your 999 00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:25,319 Speaker 2: defenses are mobilized, your hands don't reach out to break 1000 00:56:25,360 --> 00:56:28,239 Speaker 2: your fall or anything like that. So the skull hits 1001 00:56:28,280 --> 00:56:34,120 Speaker 2: the concrete flush and it causes a catastrophic brain injury. 1002 00:56:34,960 --> 00:56:41,160 Speaker 2: And this guy had several operations permanent brain damage. Basically 1003 00:56:41,160 --> 00:56:45,640 Speaker 2: a vegetable and there was one day that really struck 1004 00:56:45,680 --> 00:56:48,720 Speaker 2: me and rattled me. I remember the day clearly, walking 1005 00:56:48,760 --> 00:56:51,239 Speaker 2: into his room. We're talking three or four months down 1006 00:56:51,280 --> 00:56:53,360 Speaker 2: the track, and he's in a hospital bed. He's on 1007 00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:57,400 Speaker 2: a ventilator, he's rigid, he's staring into space. Lights are on, 1008 00:56:57,400 --> 00:57:00,880 Speaker 2: there's no one home. It's a severe brain injury. His 1009 00:57:01,000 --> 00:57:03,319 Speaker 2: parents are there. He's got sweat on him, he's got 1010 00:57:03,320 --> 00:57:06,880 Speaker 2: a fan on, his brain, stems misfiring, he can't regulate. 1011 00:57:07,080 --> 00:57:08,080 Speaker 1: It's just a. 1012 00:57:08,080 --> 00:57:14,759 Speaker 2: Total disaster physiologically and everything. And the thing that got 1013 00:57:14,800 --> 00:57:17,480 Speaker 2: me with the photos up on the wall, and there 1014 00:57:17,560 --> 00:57:21,360 Speaker 2: was the eighteen year old kid with his dad and 1015 00:57:21,840 --> 00:57:25,160 Speaker 2: holding a fish for memory, and then there was another 1016 00:57:25,160 --> 00:57:27,440 Speaker 2: photo of his eighteen year old kid smiling with his 1017 00:57:27,480 --> 00:57:31,040 Speaker 2: girlfriend at I presume end of view, end of school 1018 00:57:31,440 --> 00:57:37,120 Speaker 2: formal smiling pull a potential, a perfectly firing brain, eighteen 1019 00:57:37,160 --> 00:57:40,000 Speaker 2: year old kid's brain, all the potential in the world, 1020 00:57:40,480 --> 00:57:43,840 Speaker 2: can think clearly, can do anything. It's his number one 1021 00:57:44,440 --> 00:57:47,560 Speaker 2: asset is his brain. And then there's another photo with 1022 00:57:47,640 --> 00:57:49,680 Speaker 2: him and his mates doing something up on the wall 1023 00:57:49,720 --> 00:57:54,000 Speaker 2: as well. And then I look at him lung in 1024 00:57:54,040 --> 00:57:59,280 Speaker 2: the bed and he's lost all of that. And the 1025 00:57:59,320 --> 00:58:02,560 Speaker 2: message is very clear. It's you know, people say, what 1026 00:58:02,600 --> 00:58:06,200 Speaker 2: can I do to look after my brain? Well, quite 1027 00:58:06,280 --> 00:58:09,480 Speaker 2: literally that just look after it. It's the best asset 1028 00:58:09,520 --> 00:58:13,040 Speaker 2: you ever have. And it doesn't matter what knock to 1029 00:58:13,040 --> 00:58:16,840 Speaker 2: the head you have, what insults your brain has, you 1030 00:58:16,920 --> 00:58:19,000 Speaker 2: will pay the price for that. You may lose one 1031 00:58:19,120 --> 00:58:22,640 Speaker 2: or two IQ points, or you may lose your entire future. 1032 00:58:23,960 --> 00:58:26,280 Speaker 2: Just don't stuff it up. Is quite literally as simple 1033 00:58:26,320 --> 00:58:29,600 Speaker 2: as that. You don't get a second chance with the brain. 1034 00:58:30,560 --> 00:58:34,320 Speaker 2: Sometimes the effects are not immediately obvious, but the effects 1035 00:58:34,320 --> 00:58:37,680 Speaker 2: are certainly there, and it doesn't repair itself. You've got 1036 00:58:37,720 --> 00:58:41,680 Speaker 2: one look after it, use it. Just don't stuff it up. 1037 00:58:42,520 --> 00:58:44,440 Speaker 2: Beer yep. 1038 00:58:45,200 --> 00:58:48,040 Speaker 1: So I'm guessing the UFC is not high on your 1039 00:58:48,040 --> 00:58:51,840 Speaker 1: list of career options for now. 1040 00:58:51,880 --> 00:58:55,600 Speaker 2: What's UFC? Absolutely enthralled by it and then I cringe 1041 00:58:55,640 --> 00:58:58,040 Speaker 2: out at the same time. It's like this dichotomy of 1042 00:58:58,120 --> 00:59:01,800 Speaker 2: experiences when watching it. I love the I mean, it's 1043 00:59:01,840 --> 00:59:05,560 Speaker 2: just it's visceral to see combat. I'm sure that's why 1044 00:59:05,560 --> 00:59:09,160 Speaker 2: the Romans loved it. Build a Coliseum, because there's something 1045 00:59:09,280 --> 00:59:13,960 Speaker 2: natural about seeing a blood sport and two people in combat. 1046 00:59:14,040 --> 00:59:15,760 Speaker 2: It just it just gets you in a way that 1047 00:59:15,760 --> 00:59:20,040 Speaker 2: you can't really explain. But then I see the slow 1048 00:59:20,080 --> 00:59:22,520 Speaker 2: mods of the punch to the head, and I know 1049 00:59:22,640 --> 00:59:24,880 Speaker 2: what that means in terms of brain function. I know 1050 00:59:24,960 --> 00:59:29,480 Speaker 2: what that will look like on a CT scan. But 1051 00:59:29,520 --> 00:59:31,480 Speaker 2: the context is different, isn't harps. They're getting paid to 1052 00:59:31,520 --> 00:59:33,840 Speaker 2: take damage. Basically, that is their career. That's what they've 1053 00:59:33,880 --> 00:59:36,040 Speaker 2: signed up for. I guess so, and. 1054 00:59:35,960 --> 00:59:38,880 Speaker 1: They know, and you know what. So yeah, I'm it's 1055 00:59:38,920 --> 00:59:41,720 Speaker 1: funny you say that. I've said essentially what you said. 1056 00:59:41,720 --> 00:59:44,040 Speaker 1: It's for me. It's a dichotomy because on the one hand, 1057 00:59:44,760 --> 00:59:48,960 Speaker 1: I'm an excise scientist. I love I love athleticism and 1058 00:59:49,040 --> 00:59:52,600 Speaker 1: power and speed and skill and those guys and girls 1059 00:59:52,640 --> 00:59:55,920 Speaker 1: in the UFC and more broadly, you know, mixed martial 1060 00:59:56,000 --> 01:00:01,040 Speaker 1: arts across the spectrum. You know, there's so many great things. 1061 01:00:01,640 --> 01:00:06,400 Speaker 1: There's that unavoidable thing, which is you are going to 1062 01:00:06,640 --> 01:00:09,640 Speaker 1: at the very least damage your brain a bit, if 1063 01:00:09,720 --> 01:00:12,600 Speaker 1: not completely fuck it up. Like nobody gets out of 1064 01:00:13,280 --> 01:00:17,640 Speaker 1: full contact sport. Nobody, zero people with zero damage. Nobody 1065 01:00:17,640 --> 01:00:22,440 Speaker 1: has no damage. But I don't know, if you're across this, 1066 01:00:22,440 --> 01:00:25,720 Speaker 1: this is going to make you shudder. So Dana White, 1067 01:00:25,800 --> 01:00:29,680 Speaker 1: who who is the boss of the UFC who you know, 1068 01:00:29,760 --> 01:00:30,440 Speaker 1: you know who he is? 1069 01:00:30,520 --> 01:00:32,080 Speaker 2: Right? Yeah? 1070 01:00:32,120 --> 01:00:35,880 Speaker 1: So also, I mean people hate him. I fucking I 1071 01:00:36,040 --> 01:00:38,880 Speaker 1: find him hilarious. I don't agree with everything he says, 1072 01:00:38,920 --> 01:00:42,040 Speaker 1: but here's what I do love about Dana White. You 1073 01:00:42,080 --> 01:00:45,720 Speaker 1: will never not know what he thinks. 1074 01:00:45,920 --> 01:00:49,080 Speaker 2: I was going to say. He has a very clear mind. 1075 01:00:49,680 --> 01:00:52,880 Speaker 1: He has no filter, and he gives no fucks if 1076 01:00:52,880 --> 01:00:55,760 Speaker 1: people agree or disagree, and he's not doing it to 1077 01:00:55,840 --> 01:01:00,680 Speaker 1: be controversial or for attention. And he's built this fucking 1078 01:01:00,760 --> 01:01:04,880 Speaker 1: incredible brand from nothing to this multi billion dollar thing. 1079 01:01:06,320 --> 01:01:08,840 Speaker 1: And he's just a knock about bloke who's a visionary. 1080 01:01:08,920 --> 01:01:11,360 Speaker 1: And yeah, he's got all these flaws and all these 1081 01:01:11,440 --> 01:01:13,880 Speaker 1: chinks in his art and all that shit, but he's 1082 01:01:13,960 --> 01:01:17,760 Speaker 1: just take he saw I think it was two years ago. 1083 01:01:18,000 --> 01:01:22,520 Speaker 1: There's this thing there's face slapping competition, right, which happens 1084 01:01:22,560 --> 01:01:27,080 Speaker 1: in lots of countries around the world. But he took 1085 01:01:27,160 --> 01:01:31,160 Speaker 1: this idea and he turned it into power slap. So 1086 01:01:31,320 --> 01:01:34,840 Speaker 1: these I think it's I don't know if women are involved. 1087 01:01:34,880 --> 01:01:38,880 Speaker 1: Maybe women are, fuck but all the ones I've seen 1088 01:01:38,920 --> 01:01:42,080 Speaker 1: the men where they literally stand with their hands behind 1089 01:01:42,120 --> 01:01:46,040 Speaker 1: their back. It's almost like they're leaning over a bench. 1090 01:01:46,120 --> 01:01:50,240 Speaker 1: Which is for arm wrestling. But they just they just 1091 01:01:50,320 --> 01:01:53,600 Speaker 1: stand there and this bloke on the other side just 1092 01:01:53,720 --> 01:01:57,160 Speaker 1: winds up and smacks them with an open hand across 1093 01:01:57,160 --> 01:02:03,160 Speaker 1: the face with like ridiculous force. So they're just getting 1094 01:02:03,640 --> 01:02:07,280 Speaker 1: struck in the head. And this has gone from nothing 1095 01:02:07,360 --> 01:02:10,840 Speaker 1: to now being it's it's like I heard him talking 1096 01:02:10,880 --> 01:02:14,200 Speaker 1: about it the other day, where it's it's becoming this 1097 01:02:14,400 --> 01:02:18,520 Speaker 1: big spectator sport. Clearly not for everyone. I don't I 1098 01:02:18,560 --> 01:02:21,000 Speaker 1: don't watch it. I've just seen some reels. I can't 1099 01:02:21,000 --> 01:02:23,320 Speaker 1: watch it. I can't get on board. I can get 1100 01:02:23,320 --> 01:02:25,680 Speaker 1: on board the UFC, but I can't get board this. 1101 01:02:26,520 --> 01:02:29,600 Speaker 1: But I'll send you. I'll send you a clip and 1102 01:02:29,640 --> 01:02:33,320 Speaker 1: you as a you as a neurosurgeon, mate, you're just 1103 01:02:33,360 --> 01:02:35,920 Speaker 1: gonna fucking shake your head. 1104 01:02:36,240 --> 01:02:39,320 Speaker 2: I've seen his clips from India, the slap competitions from India. 1105 01:02:39,400 --> 01:02:43,760 Speaker 2: These Begindian guys. It's it's bizarre. I've got like this, 1106 01:02:43,760 --> 01:02:47,560 Speaker 2: this respect of each other and this courtesy and then 1107 01:02:47,600 --> 01:02:50,280 Speaker 2: they wind up and fucking so bang. 1108 01:02:51,000 --> 01:02:54,320 Speaker 1: That's not good. All right, mate, I love chatting with you. 1109 01:02:54,520 --> 01:02:56,520 Speaker 1: This has been one of my favorite chats. I feel 1110 01:02:56,560 --> 01:02:59,000 Speaker 1: like there was a lot of great information and a 1111 01:02:59,000 --> 01:03:01,680 Speaker 1: lot of great insight in there. We'll chat off here. 1112 01:03:02,160 --> 01:03:04,480 Speaker 1: Is there anything you don't want to got nothing to sell? 1113 01:03:04,520 --> 01:03:06,520 Speaker 1: I always say to my guests, where do you want 1114 01:03:06,520 --> 01:03:10,280 Speaker 1: to send our listeners? We are There is some news 1115 01:03:10,320 --> 01:03:13,120 Speaker 1: coming from Alex next year. There's going to be some 1116 01:03:13,240 --> 01:03:16,000 Speaker 1: big shit. I'm going to be involved in a little bit. 1117 01:03:16,600 --> 01:03:19,520 Speaker 1: I'm the one percent, he's the ninety nine. But I'm 1118 01:03:19,560 --> 01:03:21,640 Speaker 1: gonna I'm going to have my toe in the in 1119 01:03:21,680 --> 01:03:24,200 Speaker 1: the Alex door next year to help him do a 1120 01:03:24,240 --> 01:03:26,760 Speaker 1: couple of things. But we'll let you know more about 1121 01:03:26,800 --> 01:03:28,760 Speaker 1: that in the future. But for the moment, mate, love 1122 01:03:28,840 --> 01:03:31,840 Speaker 1: talking to you, Appreciate you and thanks for being on 1123 01:03:31,840 --> 01:03:33,040 Speaker 1: the new project yet again. 1124 01:03:33,520 --> 01:03:35,520 Speaker 2: Thanks Harts, really enjoyed it. Great to see you.