I am writing this in hopes that no one else has to go through what has become one of the most…read moredemoralizing and appalling experiences of my life.
I had a routine surgery performed by Dr. Trudie Goers in March of this year. I was told I should expect near complete recovery in 4-6 weeks, and a full recovery in 3 months. It has now been 4 months since my surgery, and I am still left with chronic pain, mostly confined to my bed, and I am unable to exercise or walk for more than about 10 minutes before it is too painful and I have to sit or lie back down.
The most appalling part has been the complete lack of empathy or willingness to help by several staff members, including Dr. Goers. In the weeks following my surgery, when it was clear that I was not recovering properly, I expressed my concerns to Dr. Goers and asked for a treatment plan or for anything that could be done to aid my recovery; I was desperate to get back to walking, hiking, or even just sitting upright in an office chair without pain. Dr. Goers communicated that she had no idea what was wrong, or what could be done about it.
At this time, I asked the office manager, Mary Sanford Hay, if I could see another surgeon at the clinic for a second opinion. After all, Dr. Goers, by her own admission, had no clue what to do, and didn't show any interest in establishing a plan to aid in my recovery. I was once again shocked at the standoffish reaction I got in my conversation with her, and her refusal to allow me to see another surgeon at the clinic.
As a last resort, Dr. Goers offered to give me some steroid shots which she said may or may not help my condition. I waited 1 month for the appointment to get the shots (still confined mostly to my bed this entire time with no change to my condition), and the nurse, LaRhonda, called me the day before my appointment and canceled it, telling me that since it was clear I wasn't happy with their treatment plan, I needed to go somewhere else. Keep in mind, their treatment plan was "we don't know what to do, and these shots probably won't even help." I pleaded with LaRhonda to let me keep my appointment or reschedule because this was my only hope and she coldly refused. I was crushed because I had been holding out hope that the injection could possibly help, and now I was left without any medical team to assist in my recovery whatsoever.
In the weeks since this clinic abruptly and prematurely ended my care, I met with a new surgeon. After the first visit with my new surgeon, I had referrals to two other specialists, and he laid out my treatment options for every step of the way, and has reached out multiple times via phone to check in and recommend next steps.
If you're one of the lucky ones and have a surgery done by Dr. Goers, maybe you will get lucky and have no complications. But if you do have complications, you can count on being on your own and not receiving any support from her or any of the staff at this clinic.
