LAFAYETTE - Most people would agree that that average doctor has very little free time, and one endeavor that requires copious amounts of time to complete, is the task of writing and publishing a book.  

According to KATC, two Acadiana doctors were inspired to do exactly this, despite their busy schedules.

The doctors, Dr. David Allie and Dr. Raghotham Patlola, were inspired to write the book, not for their own sakes, but to help members of their community have a better understanding of the cardiovascular system.

But as doctors, their schedules don't allow them to spend much time writing, which leads one to wonder how they managed to write and publish an entire book.

In an interview with KATC, Patlola and Allie explained that the entire process took over a decade. 

Allie told reporters how the idea came about, saying, "Dr. Patlola came to me and said, 'I'd like to start one, would you help me?' We made that commitment almost 15 years ago."

Shortly after they agreed to the project, life 'got in the way' and the project kept getting pushed to the back burner. 

Years later, Dr. Allie and Dr. Patlola reconnected while partnering to open and run Lafayette's Allie-Patlola Medical Center in the Lafayette Oil Center.

And Patlola hadn't given up on the idea, and little by little he'd been chipping away at the book. 

So, one day he brought something with him to he and Dr. Allie's new practice, a draft of their book.

Allie recalled that day in a recent interview with KATC, saying, "He came to me and said, 'Dr. Allie, do you remember that book?' He presented that book to me, did most of the work, and asked for me to edit. We started the process."

In the following 13 years, Patlola crafted a 210 page, 20 chapter book that could appeal to the masses.

"The purpose of this book is to describe every facet of the cardiovascular disease in an easily readable format. As I mentioned, it's the number one cause of death and causes a lot of fear," he said.

Patlola says the only way to conquer such fears is with knowledge.

"A non-medical person reading this book will be empowered with knowledge to make decisions and actively participate in the care of their health."

In the end, it's understanding now that at will help you make the best decision for your future.

The book is free to the public and the community is invited to call 337-210-5777 for more information on obtaining a copy.