Dementia is something that has touched my family in a terrible way. My mother, whose memory was always sharp as a tack, has been battling dementia for years. While her long term memory is still very much intact, she struggles to remember anything in the recent past. When given the opportunity to interview Dr. Gary Simonds, a neurosurgeon who is an expert on Alzheimer's Disease and dementia, I jumped at the chance. Meet Dr. Gary Simonds Dr. Simonds is a neurosurgeon who has treated tens of thousands of patients with devastating illnesses. He is a professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience. He has published three nonfiction books on burnout and psychological distress in healthcare providers and routinely writes about, and gives talks on, neuroscience, neurosurgery, medical socioeconomics, medical humanism, medical ethics, and burnout. He joined me on Uncorking a Story to talk about his debut novel, Death’s Pale Flag. Key Topics 00:00:00 Introducing Neurosurgeon Dr. Gary Simonds. 00:02:23 Retiring from Neurosurgery: Unleashing Untold Stories and Exploring Burnout 00:04:50 The Hidden Truth About Burnout: Why We're All on a Spectrum 00:08:19 Finding Inspiration 00:10:48 Drills and Chills: Exploring the Terrifying Intersection of Supernatural and Reality in Death's Pale Flag 00:12:45 From a 260,000-word Epic to a Streamlined Masterpiece: How Editors Shaped the Novel 00:15:24 A Journey of Positivity and Curiosity: Unveiling the Intriguing Origins of 'Death's Pale Flag' 00:18:16 The Clash of Science and Spirituality: Can They Coexist or Are They Natural Adversaries? 00:26:46 The Mysterious Process of Brain Shutdown: Unveiling the Chilling Reality 00:32:16 Musical Time Travel: Exploring the Timeless Songs That Defined a Generation Buy Death’s Pale Flag Amazon: https://amzn.to/3P7EjhT Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9798886330045 Connect With Dr. Gary Simonds Website: https://garyrsimonds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garyrsimonds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garyrsimonds Twitter: https://twitter.com/garyrsimonds TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@garyrsimonds Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.