# “Why did you call me a …?” — the surgeon's outburst

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-harley-street-surgeon-swore
- Themes: near-death experience, consciousness, humour
- Life situations: surgery, caring for someone unconscious, working as a doctor or nurse

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A wealthy London woman with an expensive Harley Street surgeon dies for a few minutes on the table; the panicking surgeon swears at her. At his polite post-op visit she asks why he called her that name — she heard everything while clinically dead.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

one of my favorite stories was of the very wealthy person in London Lon who was having a minor operation and because she was wealthy she had I think a doctor from Harley Street very expensive but she wanted the best if you got money why not get the best and fortunately she actually did need it because during the operation she died for a few minutes and if ever you get an expensive doctor you'll probably find he's always very polite to you but during the operation the doctor lost it you know this lady was dying and he was panicking and during the operation apparently he said he shouted out even though this lady was unconscious don't give up on me now you [ __ ] that's what he said be careful if you're a doctor or a nurse cuz what happened next was when he came around after the operation they saved her life they found out the and fixed it so she was fine but on the first visit of the surgeon after the operation he said in his very polite voice Madam we came Jolly close to losing you that time yes she said I know but why did you call me a [ __ ] which you can imagine what the doctor thought said you were dead at the time how'd you know that and then of course she told she wasn't dead well she was dead but she was conscious

## Teaching point

Near-death accounts suggest awareness can continue when the body has stopped (told as evidence and for laughs).

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

The polite surgeon panicked and swore at a patient he thought was beyond hearing, and afterwards she asked him about it. Whatever you make of near-death reports, the practical lesson is simple: speak kindly around the unconscious, the dying and the sleeping. They may hear more than we assume, and gentle words cost nothing.

## Source

- [What Happens After You Die? | Ajahn Brahm | 08-04-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZZupDuprhU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 20:51 to 22:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZZupDuprhU&t=1251s