🔥👨🏻⚕️🩺 Forged Through Fire: A Reconstructive Surgeon's Story of Survival, Faith, and Healing 🩺👨🏻⚕️🔥 (2019) - Book Review
MY REVIEW
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 3,
2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800736540
ISBN-13: 978-0800736545
“When Mark
McDonough was a teen, a catastrophic fire claimed the lives of his mother and
younger brother. It also left Mark with burns on over 65 percent of his body.
During a long and painful recovery, his faltering faith in God was strengthened
by a remarkable near-death experience. Inspired to pursue a career as a plastic
surgeon to help those who suffer as he has, McDonough has overcome numerous
other adversities on his journey, including addiction and a stroke. Now he
shares his incredible true story of survival and perseverance to bring hope and
healing to those dealing with great physical and emotional pain.
Anyone who has suffered or watched a loved one suffer from a personal trauma, disease, or loss that has tested or stolen their faith and exhausted their emotional resources will find real hope in this redemptive story.”
Anyone who has suffered or watched a loved one suffer from a personal trauma, disease, or loss that has tested or stolen their faith and exhausted their emotional resources will find real hope in this redemptive story.”
Thank you to JustRead Publicity Tours, Revell, and Mark Donough, MD for a copy of this book to review. It was a pleasure and honor to review this book. I was not compensated in any way, nor was a positive view required.
All thoughts are my own.
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| [Forged Through Fire - Mark D. McDonough, MD] |
“Forged Through Fire” by
Mark McDonough, MD is his personal memoir of how a tragedy when he was 16
transformed his life and how his faith in God guided him through the dark days
of recovery, rehabilitation, and finding his own path. This book extensively
talks about God and faith. Though I had no issues with it and loved reading
this book despite the topic that started Mark’s journey.
When he was 16, Mark was
in a catastrophic house fire that claimed the lives of his mother and youngest
brother. Suffering burns over 65% of his body, his first thoughts turned to
death being better than the suffering he was in.
During one surgery, he
recalls the vivid details of the surgery – feeling the pain and being acutely
aware of what was being said and done. It was that same surgery that lead to a
“near-death” experience which McDonough beautifully describes. With that
experience he realized that God would be there to help us survive our trials
and experiences and that he was meant to survive the ordeal that had almost
consumed his life. With each reconstructive surgery after the other his faith
was tested.
Still, he became a
physical therapist, physician, and later a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
Through McDonough’s book,
the reader learns about his past and even that of his family’s. He talks about
perseverance and trials. His life and journey have not been perfect. He has
battled Guillain-Barré syndrome as a child, the fire, alcoholism, a stroke, and
the loss of two siblings (one to suicide and the other to a vertebral artery
aneurysm), later his father to cancer.
Still, despite all the
challenges, he remains humble and inspiring. He is also the proud father of
three sons – Connor, Riley, and Toby who form the popular band “Before You
Exit”.
McDonough’s book is a
testament to his faith, though not perfect, always a work in progress. After
another health setback, he was forced to scale back his medical practice but
still serves as a volunteer at local clinics.
“Forged Through Fire” is
an inspiring read that serves as hope for those who
always wonder “why”, have
been tested, or need a reminder that God is always there for us. We don’t
always know the plans God has for us, but he will be there with us during the
trials. Pain is not the end of the story by any means.
McDonough, like the
Phoenix, has risen literally from the ashes to physically heal people and help
guide them as well.
This book will certainly
have triggers for those who’ve lost loved ones by fire, accidents, suicide,
PTSD. It is a difficult, challenging, and beautiful read – possibly serving to
heal the spirit.
I rarely recommend books,
but I do highly recommend this book.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark D. McDonough, MD, is a physical therapist,
physician, and plastic and reconstructive surgeon. A graduate of Case Western
Reserve University School of Medicine and trained in general, burn, and plastic
surgery at the University of South Florida and Vanderbilt University, he has
served as an adjunct professor in physical therapy and worked with trauma
patients at hospitals in Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida, where he later founded
his own practice. Married for more than twenty-five years, he and his wife,
Joan, have three grown sons–Connor, Riley, and Toby–who form the popular band
Before You Exit. Dr. McDonough lives in central Florida.
You can follow him on the following social media
accounts:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrMarkMcDonough
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