By Dorothy McConachie
Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
"He has been asked if he has ever seen a miracle. Although Dr. Michael Grant knows that question is meant to refer to his experiences in the operating room, he does not consider what he sees there as miracles.
"I used to think that what [doctors] do is a miracle; we heal people and all that. Then I realized it"s just man harnessing biology a little bit," he says modestly.
I think the biggest miracles are the things we look at every day and don"t think of as miracles - like our kids."
His views on what"s important in life are affected by his deep religious beliefs as well as by his daily contact with cancer. As one of the very few surgical oncologists who specialize in breast cancer, he acts as a ship"s captain. As such, he coordinates the care given to each patient by a team of doctors. He then maintains his contact with the patients, checking them periodically for the rest of their lives.
"By getting to know them, I can see how I"ve actually helped them get back to their normal lives. That is our goal," Dr. Grant says of his patients. "That is one of the Ôpluses" for what I do as opposed to being a general surgeon where you only see the patient for a time or two after the surgery. I need to see that I"m making a difference."
This keen interest in his patient"s welfare is one characteristic that sets him apart from other physicians.
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He laughs at my jokes," Bess Brooks says. "And he gives lots of hugs. We need that, especially in the beginning when you have so many fears."
Dr. Grant says that the initial diagnosis can be overwhelming.
"Breast cancer changes your life.
You get that diagnosis and it changes in a matter of seconds. You"re never the same, forever," Dr. Grant observes. "Interestingly enough, after getting through it, it always changes people for the better. I almost uniformly see that happen to people."
Mrs. Brooks, the mother of two young children, admits that this has happened to her.
"You have to have fun this day.You have to help others today - you can"t do it tomorrow. I"m especially thankful for my two sweet little blessings."
It [cancer] shows people mortality, which people on a daily basis do not come in contact with," Dr. Grant adds. "That"s one of the things that give me perspective because I see this all the time. I go home and think, "Thank God for the small problems that I have." It does make you stop and look around and re-examine your life."
Dr. Grant considers one of the missions of a physician is to try to find out more about medical care and to try to make it better - not just the medical outcomes but the quality of life outcomes also. Changes and advancements in the detection and treatment of breast cancer have greatly changed in the past few years.
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One of the reasons for these great advancements is that Dr. Grant and others are involved in cutting edge research at Baylor Hospital.
He is a great investigator," says Dr. Phil Evans, one of his research colleagues.
Sometimes a mother who is a breast cancer survivor will accompany her daughter who is undergoing treatment for the disease to her appointment with Dr. Grant. The mother is always surprised with the treatment the daughter receives.
Twenty years ago, surgeries were considerably more radical and fewer other options were available. Inevitably, the daughter responds better to treatment after having less invasive procedures than her mother. Though the survival rates are improving, Dr. Grant recognizes that the diagnosis is still a shock and much is yet to be learned about breast cancer, as well as all other forms of cancer.
Despite all he does for his patients, he does not consider any of this miracles.
He considers his family his greatest legacy. Despite his 13-hour and longer days at Baylor Hospital, he tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife, Judy, and their two boys, Zachary and Nicholas.
At the University Park Elementary School carnival each spring, he does his job as room dad, organizing and running games.
Though he considers nature and family miracles, many of his patients consider the lives he has helped them reclaim as miracles.
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