Remembrance: Dr. Biber and the Indescribable Bond

http://ts-si.org/guest-columns/20084-remembrance-dr-biber-and-the-indescribable-bond.html
9/27/09

Dr. Stanley H. Biber, an elfish-looking man entering his middle years, with twinkling eyes that belied his serious nature, was soon to become my savior. I was there to correct a birth condition through his surgical expertise and I was putting my life in his hands; naturally I felt apprehensive.

Apparently recognizing this, he reassured me. He spoke clearly and honestly, describing the operation ahead and what I could expect during my recovery.

We talked about aftercare at home, and he solicited from me a promise to maintain the discipline and patience necessary for successful recovery (read: dilation and vaginal hygiene).

Sigh. I remember the cruel jokes about "Trinidad" when I lived in Colorado (I was a resident athlete at the olympic training center, which was kinda like being in the army).

Dr. Biber will always hold a special place in my heart. He rescued me from the brink of suicide in 1974 and gave me life.

For many years, every spring, I would write to him and thank him for his generosity and kindness and let him know how my life was going. When he passed, I wept.