Continued:
. I thought a second dose would ameliorate most…read moreof the remaining pain. As no answer was forthcoming from his office, I consulted several MDs and Pharmacists about a second package of Prednisone. All indicated that it should not cause any problems whatsoever. I told Janssen I had a second package of the declining dose of Prednisone, and he hit the ceiling, giving several questionable reasons why I should have dared to do this - but the underlying message I heard was that he did not approve it in advance, and right or wrong, he was in charge. To me, that explained why so many staff members were fully controlled by this surgeon - this explained why the post-op nurse took ages to get his permission to address my extreme abdominal pain. Fear. He then accused me of not paying my bill for the procedure - I have three insurances, and all had paid, in sequence, the amount due for the procedure. He was paid and apparently made up the lack of payment as a way of ameliorating his bruised ego. His ego was gargantuan! He seems to care more about his trips to Europe to teach than his current patients. At one point in his career, he was undeniably great, perhaps to the point where it is fair to say that he was without equal - on that issue there is no question. Because of his superior skill and previous record of success, I selected him for my surgery. It seems his once unassailable standing had gone to his head. He was no longer a patient's surgeon - his ego took him elsewhere - there is a time to act and a time to consider options. Perhaps for him, the latter is the best solution.
Fortunately, the Thornton Hospital had an exceptional interventional radiology department leader, Dr. Grzybowski. After several images and his placement of a drain, the pressure caused by the fluid build-up in my abdomen was almost fully relieved, and to the best of my recollection, my fever returned to normal. This DO in the Interventional Radiology department was the best highlight during my hospital visit - he clearly and unambiguously deserves a five out of five stars the highest rating Yelp permits. This physician cared about the patient! Also, to be fair, all the nurses I encountered on the floor were professional and collegial.
The abbreviated first visit, a short second visit, uneasy staff at the hospital, his ignoring his patient in both the pre-surgery period and in post-op without so much as a "hello". Most concerning were the issues in post-op, especially when an otherwise stoic patient gave a pain level of ten out of ten, no follow-up until approximately three months after surgery and then outrage that I sought alternative opinions for Prednisone when I could not get a timely answer from him or his office, and finally making up a story about not paying my bill when all three of my insurances covered payment. In my observation he compiled quite a laundry list based on ignoring patient concerns, either directly or indirectly. I am sorry to say that this once super-star surgeon now fails at the most important step - rapport with the patient. It took an interventional radiologist to find the need and place a drain to relieve abdominal pain. The chronic back pain, if anything, is no better today, some 15 months after surgery, than it was before his surgery. Dear reader, do whatever you think best, but I, for one do not recommend this once great healer. Regrettable, unfortunate, but true.
Perhaps his world-wide trips to teach the valuable technical lessons he has accumulated in his life as an exceptional spine surgeon serve a greater purpose. As a tutor to top-shelf surgeons, the general level of spine surgery performed by his students would rise and instructing other very bright surgeons would likely satisfy his seeming need to be in full control of all situations. This is likely now his first best destiny. He would no longer need to provide full attention to his patients, intentionally or not, and staff previously within his sphere of influence no longer would have any concern about repercussions for contacting him regarding his patients. A win-win situation, or so it seems. As I began, but here with an intentional misquote,
To every living thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven. There is a time to perform with all efforts focused on patient welfare, and a time to evaluate where your mountain of skills can be placed to best use as a global teacher.
Perhaps that time has come for your personal evaluation of time with patients and the fact that some staff are fearful to reach out to you. You still have great value to the medical community, but perhaps your glory days now mandate your review, remember, "All glory is fleeting".
