Eyes of an Eagle: A Surgeon’s Memoir

When Dr Krunoslav Fuzy, a young surgeon from Croatia, set out for the Transkei in Southern Africa to work in a mission hospital he had no idea he would fall in love with the country and never return to his homeland. Now, after a career of more than half a century, he tells the tale of his early training in Communist Yugoslavia and his escape to West Germany, followed by his life in the Transkei and South Africa. Dr Fuzy describes his early mentors and the rigours of working in a field when equipment was rudimentary and surgeons performed every kind of operation rather than specialising in a particular aspect of surgery. He shares his struggles with getting accredited in a foreign country, learning new languages and customs, and finding fulfillment in service to humanity. Dr Fuzy’s story is an inspirational reflection on both the profession of medicine and the personal aspects of the work that are seldom talked about - the psychology of patients, the decisions on life and death that doctors must make, and the sacrifices required to follow a passion despite great obstacles. This memoir will be of interest to surgeons and doctors, as well as anyone who is curious about the life and work of a surgeon.