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#1
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07-23-2014, 05:54 PM
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One of the Youngest Recipients of the Transorbital Lobotomy
Howard Dully (born November 30, 1948) is one of the youngest recipients of the transorbital lobotomy, a procedure performed on him when he was 12 years old. Dully received international attention in 2005, following the broadcasting of his story on National Public Radio. Subsequently, in 2007, he published a critically well-received memoir, My Lobotomy, a story of the hardships of his lobotomy, co-authored by Charles Fleming. Dully was born on November 30, 1948, in Oakland, California, the eldest son of Rodney and June Louise Pierce Dully. Following the death of his mother from cancer in 1954, Dully's father married single mother Shirley Lucille Hardin in 1955. Neurologist Walter Freeman had diagnosed Dully as suffering from childhood schizophrenia since age 4, although numerous other medical and psychiatric professionals who had seen Dully did not detect a psychiatric disorder. In 1960, at 12 years of age, Dully was submitted by his father and stepmother for a trans-orbital lobotomy, performed by Dr. Freeman. During the procedure, a long, sharp instrument called a leucotome was inserted through each of Dully's eye sockets 7 cm (2.75 inches) into his brain. Dully took decades to recover from the surgery to the point where he could function in society;[vague] he was institutionalized for years as a juvenile (in Agnews State Hospital as a minor), transferred to Rancho Linda School in San Jose, California, a school for children with behavior problems, incarcerated, and was eventually homeless and an alcoholic. After sobering up and getting a college degree in computer information systems, he became a California state certified behind-the-wheel instructor for a school bus company in San Jose, California. In his 50s, with the assistance of National Public Radio producer David Isay, Dully started to research what had happened to him as a child following his father's illness. By this time, both his stepmother and Dr. Freeman were dead, and due to the after effects of the surgery, he was unable to rely on his own memories. He traveled the country with Isay and Piya Kochhar, speaking with members of his family, relatives of other lobotomy patients, and relatives of Dr. Freeman, and also gaining access to Freeman's archives. Dully first related his story on a National Public Radio broadcast in 2005, prior to co-authoring a memoir published in 2007. Howard Dully before his "ice pick" lobotomy Photo by Walter Freeman, 1960 Howard Dully receiving his "ice pick" lobotomy Dec. 16, 1960 Photo by Walter Freeman, 1960 Howard Dully after his "ice pick" lobotomy Photo by Walter Freeman, 1960 While working on this documentary, Howard Dully traveled to Washington, D.C. to view his sealed patient records. Dr. Walter Freeman photographed each transorbital lobotomy procedure. Howard Dully is the first patient ever to obtain a picture of his own operation. Howard Dully, August 2004, San Jose, California. More Info Here: Wiki My Lobotomy Interview at PBS |
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#2
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07-23-2014, 09:41 PM
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Re: One of the Youngest Recipients of the Transorbital Lobotomy
When asked what he thought about his lobotomy over 50+ years ago, Mr. Dully responded by repeatedly saying, " duhhhhhhhhh", "ehhhhhhhh", and "fuuuuuuuuuuu". Currently Mr. Dully works as the chief political consultant for the California Democratic Party.
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#5
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07-24-2014, 11:54 PM
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Re: One of the Youngest Recipients of the Transorbital Lobotomy
Damn. Dad remarried a year after his wife died. I wonder if the dad was convinced by the step mom to pursue this. Their actions certainly fucked up this guys life. |
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#6
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07-25-2014, 04:44 PM
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Re: One of the Youngest Recipients of the Transorbital Lobotomy
To which Mr. Dully stated the following, "Euuuuuuuu fuuuuuuuuu ebauuuuu thumbuuuuuuuuuu, eekkkk."
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