Anesthesiologist Overcomes Illness & Spinal Injury: “I Rebuilt My Life” w/ Dr. James Lee (S1 EP05)

Dr. James Lee is a world-renowned anesthesiologist and author of Unbroken: A Doctor’s Journey Back to a Life Worth Living. In this episode, he shares his story of battling illness, identity, and rediscovering what matters most with our host, Juliet Hahn.

Dr. Lee’s path seemed destined for medical greatness: with degrees from Yale and Stanford and a thriving career in anesthesiology, he was living the dream. But everything changed in seconds one day in the operating room, when a sudden and baffling medical emergency turned his life upside down. Over the course of years, Dr. Lee battled a devastating pituitary tumor, survived intensive chemotherapy, and endured a crippling spinal cord injury that stripped him of his identity, independence, and sense of purpose. 

As Dr. Lee and Juliet dive into his story, you’ll hear how he confronted unimaginable loss, rediscovered the meaning of family and connection, and learned to appreciate life in ways he never expected.

Listen to hear how Dr. Lee transformed his life. 

During this episode, you will learn about:

[00:00] Trailer

[01:51] Medical background

[04:08] Pivotal moment

[05:34] Accident in the operating room

[09:39] Family dynamics change

[11:16] The brain tumor diagnosis

[14:18] The depression

[17:30] Lightbulb moment

[29:41] New normal

[32:51] The crushed spinal cord

[34:41] Dr. Lee’s eldest daughter’s graduation from med school

[37:17] Dr. Lee’s book, Unbroken

[42:46] Managing anger and pain

[45:17] Connect with Dr. Lee

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theofficialdrjames/ 

Key Takeaways:  

• A certain part of your identity, how you feel or who you know you are, is embedded in what you’re doing. ~Dr. James Lee [17:49]
• Those little placeholders and names that you’ve added to your resume make you feel better about yourself, but that certainly isn’t who you are. ~Dr. James Lee [18:24]
• “My children are my DNA being continued in this world. If I send my DNA out there naked and unarmed, I’m not doing myself any favors.” ~Dr. James Lee [27:45]
• “I do truly believe that God gives us what we can handle.” ~Juliet Hahn [36:07]

Keep In Touch with Dr. James Lee:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theofficialdrjames/ 

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This podcast is brought to you in partnership with FetTech: https://www.fettech.com/