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Brandee Black, M.D. - Sports Medicine / Windward…read moreOrthopaedic Group
Long post, but fractures are personal.
Diagnosis: fractured ankle with 7mm mortise widening.
Life lesson: learn to pause (or some kumbaya namaste ohm bs)
If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate position of discovering that your ankle, foot, and leg have collectively decided to quit mid-week--because you're a great uncle, and maybe you were chasing children before bedtime-and honestly who doesn't love a Hump Day plot twist--let me save you some time: Dr. Brandee Black is the doctor you want.
Here's the timeline.
Wednesday: Foot fractured. Foot is dangling. It's bedtime and I'm old. Cut to
2:00am ER visit: I'm told to elevate for 24 hours, take Tylenol (not Advil...apparently Advil doesn't help bones heal, who knew. ) Then I was told to "call ortho." And they gave me Dr. Black as a referral.
But, who doesn't love lying around with their foot dangling while their toes slowly transform into Vienna sausages? All the little piggies were absolutely not going to market tho...not on my watch. And there's nothing better than having your feet above your head ...so elevated rest and panic I did.
What they don't mention is that even doctors have a work-life balance (as they should). So I spent the rest of the week and weekend marinating in swelling, fear, and Google searches until Monday, when calls were finally returned to schedule consults.
Tuesday: I meet Dr. Black.
Within minutes, she calmly confirmed all the things the ER didn't tell me (slash I didn't ask because it was 2am, I was in shock, and I just wanted to go home). Reality hit. Hard.
I'll be honest--I was shopping around.
Some doctors looked exhausted.
Some looked like they were 12.
Some couldn't or wouldn't take me.
Some offices failed the receptionist vibe check (details matter).
Dr. Black (and team) passed all of it.
She was sharp, present, and human. I respected her immediately.
By the end of the consult--a full week after my nephew chose chaos and my ankle doubled down--she confirmed I needed surgery.
And then... I pulled out my list.
Twenty-three questions.
Yes, I counted.
Yes, I gathered them from ChatGPT after I put everything in my Patient Portal from the ER and asked Chat to give me a list of questions I wouldn't know to ask about and questions their peers would ask too.
No, she did not flinch.
She answered every single one--clearly, patiently, without rushing me, without talking down to me, and without that tired, quota-driven energy you sometimes get in medical offices (no shade, it is a business).
I cried during the Q&A.
Not a full sob--but definitely more than a single dignified tear.
(Also, shoutout to the movie Boys Don't Cry... respectfully, they're wrong.) It had been a full week of "hurry up and wait," and it finally caught up to me.
Then she scheduled surgery for the very next day.
Wednesday: Surgery day at Castle. I'm sitting there waiting for my knifing (jk), and Dr. Black comes in to check on me. Even then--even then--she made time to ask if I had any last-minute questions. I did. Of course I did. But it was more for post surgery. I asked about PEMF mats ( ChatGPT again asked me to look into it and ask her)...She gave me an honest answer: it couldn't hurt, there are studies, but she didn't have a fully formed opinion yet. That kind of grounded honesty matters to me.
The surgery itself? About an hour long, yet somehow felt like a one-night stand where I woke up disoriented and immediately had to do the walk of shame.
Shout-out to the whole surgical team:
* the cute doctor who gave me a nerve block (while my ass was fully out because he asked me to flip over--sir, have you been watching Heated Rivalry because I'm obedient and blushing, call me Shane Hollander.
* the nurses who asked me the same questions approximately 97 times...ONLY THE LEFT FOOT ANKLE (nurses were a little less impressed with me but I digress)
* the moment I woke up to liquids being forced down my throat before being gently but firmly kicked out like, "Okay, you're alive, a hui ho. Malama your mama."
All jokes aside: I trusted Dr. Black with a complicated foot with multiple issues surgery, and I'm a patient with a very anxious attachment style. She earned my trust completely. Skilled, direct, compassionate, and present when it counted--before surgery, during surgery, and in the moments where fear sneaks in. She's delightful and non fussy - not much of a hand holder...all things that spoke to me. Truly.
If you need an orthopedic surgeon who listens, answers your questions (even the long list ones), respects your intelligence, and still has a soul--Dr. Brandee Black is it.
10/10. Would let her fix my foot again.
Would prefer not to need to tho
Thank you Dr.Black
Also thanks to Bri (the Nurse at WOG)