About the Author Dr. Heeb grew up poor but didn't know it in Chaffee, Missouri, a town of three thousand in Southeast Missouri. After serving in the navy from 1945 to 1946, he realized if he was ever going to be successful, it was up to him and no one else. With a wanton academic high-school record, through hard work, persistence, and the grace of God, he earned a BS in science, magna cum laude, in three years from Southeast Missouri State University. Dr. Heeb entered medical school at the University of Missouri and received an MD degree with honors from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. After completing a surgical residency at the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis, he earned board certification in general surgery and was accepted as a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. From a practice of surgery in Sikeston, Missouri, a community of less than twenty thousand, he experienced many exciting and unusual cases. He attained national status in the American Cancer Society and American College of Surgeons, as well as numerous state organizations. Dr. Heeb has published numerous surgical articles in national surgical journals, as well as articles related to doctor-patient relationships. He resides at Kentucky Lake and Cape Coral, Florida. He retired on November 9, 2008, after over fifty years as a general surgeon, but still advises friends with medical and surgical problems. Sailing with friends in Florida is still enjoyed.
