11 Epilogue: A Fortunate Man

\When we began this book, it told a story about a man who brought about change in three medical institutions and the very different experiences he had at each place. And it has, in fact, been largely a story about his life “at work,” a life that has been very full and rewarding. But Howard's professional life has been only one thread in an even fuller life, a life in which work and family intertwined. They were not totally parallel and they were not divergent. It was the thread of his family life that made it possible for his work thread to engage him, hold him, and support him without breaking, becoming part of a thicker, stronger thread that not only endured but grew stronger. For this Howard sees himself as a very fortunate man.