A Funny Thing Happened: A Memoir

After working in nineteen different emergency departments over the course of his career, Dr. Carl Otte should be able to recount a funny ER story or two when asked. In this humorous look at his life, he recounts many such stories, as well as the often interesting, entertaining, and humorous side of life. He takes the reader from humble beginnings on a rural Iowa farmstead through the often tumultuous course of acquiring a medical degree and training. He recounts warm stories of family life as he and his wife Twyla raise four daughters. He shares farm stories, magic shows, the early days of osteopathy, years in general practice, and then becoming one of the first graduates in the emerging specialty of emergency medicine. He then served as a flight surgeon at Luke AFB. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on in the lives of ER doctors, this is a good, honest portrayal of that life during a time of many firsts in medicine. Dr. Otte’s special brand of humor infuses this portrayal and gives it a warm, human touch that makes it an informative, entertaining, and enjoyable read.