Nancy
Well-known member
There have been so many difficult posts lately, and I have also contributed to some of that. I want the newbies and the oldies to know that I have some wonderful, positive stories to tell about Joe's care over the years. He has truly had some guardian angels. He wouldn't be here without them So I'd like to share and I hope others can relate some as well. This is long, but at least it?s nice reading.
These are the finest examples that I know of of some of the most caring and skilled medical professionals anywhere. Most are stories from several of our local hospitals all of which are within 20 miles from our home. We have good care here.
In the 1970s Joe was diagnosed with aortic stenosis and had to have surgery asap. It wasn't a common procedure at that time, but his old cardiologist had the knowledge and the contacts to send Joe to Boston, where he was operated on by Dr. Peter Maggs. He got a mechanical valve, which was considered inferior at the time, because his system would not accept the pig valve. That valve is still with him, after 25 years. Imagine the foresight of that cardiologist and the amazing skill of that surgeon.
Throughout the years, Joe has had to have various cardio-thoracic surgeries, 2 additional valve surgeries and two lung surgeries, plus some office procedures. All of these surgeries went off without a hitch. These were all done by the surgeons of Albany Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons.Three were done by Dr. Harry DePan and one was done by Dr. Riivo Ilves who was a partner at the time. These men have exceptional skills and have the finest staff and PAs and NPs. Just wonderful people to deal with, pleasant and friendly and the most thorough surgeons around. They saved Joe life many times over.
During all of Joe's surgeries, he has had the very best anesthesiologists. Joe has so many problems, but these highly skilled men kept him alive, kept him pain-free and were absolutely great.
The nurses in the ICUs and the step-down units just don't get any better. Each and every one of them did a perfect job.
Joe's doctor of Internal Medicine, Dr. George Giokas, is a brilliant man. He has taken care of the internal medicine problems with great skill. And he has diagnosed some esoteric diseases which unfortunately Joe is prone to. Joe is not an ordinary patient, because underlying the ordinary things, there are many very serious medical conditions. This doctor keeps watch over it all of these. He has paved the way for us to get quick help when Joe needs it and he monitors Joe?s Coumadin. This is the doctor Joe interfaces with the most. He?s a very caring man and extremely helpful. His insight has kept Joe alive. And his staff is the most friendly and just special, special people.
When Joe became so ill last december, I brought him over to Albany Medical Center under the care of Dr. Lawrence Zisman, a specialist in pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure. Joe was in terrible shape. I was sure I was going to lose him. Everything was going bad at the same time. Dr. Zisman kept him in the hospital for a month. And during that time, he did every test available, I think. When all the testing was done, he devised an absolutely brilliant plan and put it into motion. He saved Joe's life and has given him the longest period of time without being readmitted into the hospital, in a very long time. During this hospitalization, there were many, many specialists involved, hematologists, gastrointestinal specialists, pulmonary specialists, even a doctor of pharmacy to monitor all of the medications and so many others that I can?t remember them all. There was Dr.Canver and Dr. Nair and Dr. Palet, Dr. Dunn and Dr. Zisman all of whom came in to see Joe very frequently, one or more of them at least once a day, sometimes twice. There were several NPs who were superb and who help to monitor Joe now. There were innumerable technicians, cardiologist procedure specialists, fantastic nurses, nurses aides and even the cleaning staff who were so pleasant and caring and helpful. It couldn?t have been better.
Quite a while ago, before Joe had been diagnosed congestive heart failure, he was having trouble breathing and we went to the ER. They diagnosed him with bronchitis and sent him home with an antibiotic. He continued to worsen and I was worried. Two days after being in the ER, I received a call about 9 or 10 at night. The man identified himself as one of the doctors in the ER, but I failed to catch his name. He told me that he had reviewed the ER paperwork and checked the x-rays. He told me that Joe had congestive heart failure and needed to get on a diuretic asap. He repeated his message and then hung up. I was too stunned to ask any questions and was pretty naive at the time. So I contacted a doctor on call, related the story and had him call in a script to the all night pharmacy. I picked up the diuretic at about midnight and Joe started on them in the middle of the night. By the next day, he was feeling much better. That mysterious phone call saved Joe?s life that night. I still don?t know who it was.
When Joe was in the ICU with a very serious problem unrelated to surgery, he had a wonderful nurse. She told me a little story that touched my heart. We were talking about dogs and what wonderful companions they are. She had been taking care of an elderly woman who was not doing well, and had few visitors. The woman missed her dog terribly and was afraid that she would die without ever seeing her dog again. She told this nurse that the dog slept with her each night and was quite old as well. The nurse brought the dog to this woman, took care of it for the woman, and the dog slept on her hospital bed until the woman passed away. The woman was very comforted by the compassionate caring of this nurse.
There was a wonderful cardiologist who monitored Joe during some very dicey times. He said to me, ?you know, it could be me in that bed, doctors get sick too. Every time I help someone, I remember that and I take care of them the way I would want people to care for me? This man has great empathy for people and was instrumental is saving Joe?s life. He didn?t give up until he had obtained the cooperation from everyone who was involved with the situation. he made sure that all concerned did the job they were supposed to and he called in the proper specialists to help with things. I will always be grateful for the strength of this man?s fortitude and the compassionate care he gave.
Another time, when things were pretty bad, a nurse (who was from another unit, but had taken care of Joe in the past), brought in flowers. It wasn?t a fancy bouquet, just some beautiful flowers from her garden, but they brightened the room. That was ?just because?.
During frequent hospitalizations, many of Joe?s doctors and PAs who were not on the case at that particular time, have just stopped in to chat and wish him well. They didn?t have to do that, but it was human and very caring.
When Joe had major complications from a non heart related surgery, he had to have home care from the Visiting Nurses. They are just the best group of people. They took great care of him, called the doctors when necessary and monitored everything carefully. It was a wonderful comfort to have them breeze through the door.
One of my favorite stories has nothing to do with Joe, but has to do with a small hospital where I had a long contract to do commercial interior design work. A long time ago, I was working in the Nursing Supervisor?s office and overheard a conversation regarding a man who had an end stage disease. He was not doing well, and wasn?t eating. He had a strong desire for oyster stew, a soup that he loved. Of course no hospital has oyster stew on the menu. The Nursing Manager made the decision that someone would go down to the local market and get a can of oyster stew for this man. She could find no reason that this very sick man shouldn?t have something he loved. Just real and human caring. Nothing big.
*I got distracted at the end of this post and forgot to add a most important item.
When I have had to call 911, Joe's life was saved several times by the speedy response from our local volunteer firefighters and the EMTs who came soon after. They revived him on at least three occasions. These are fine and very well trained folks. He wouldn't be alive, if we didn't have that valuable service. They are neighbors, who do this, just because they want to help. It doesn't get any better than that.
These are the finest examples that I know of of some of the most caring and skilled medical professionals anywhere. Most are stories from several of our local hospitals all of which are within 20 miles from our home. We have good care here.
In the 1970s Joe was diagnosed with aortic stenosis and had to have surgery asap. It wasn't a common procedure at that time, but his old cardiologist had the knowledge and the contacts to send Joe to Boston, where he was operated on by Dr. Peter Maggs. He got a mechanical valve, which was considered inferior at the time, because his system would not accept the pig valve. That valve is still with him, after 25 years. Imagine the foresight of that cardiologist and the amazing skill of that surgeon.
Throughout the years, Joe has had to have various cardio-thoracic surgeries, 2 additional valve surgeries and two lung surgeries, plus some office procedures. All of these surgeries went off without a hitch. These were all done by the surgeons of Albany Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons.Three were done by Dr. Harry DePan and one was done by Dr. Riivo Ilves who was a partner at the time. These men have exceptional skills and have the finest staff and PAs and NPs. Just wonderful people to deal with, pleasant and friendly and the most thorough surgeons around. They saved Joe life many times over.
During all of Joe's surgeries, he has had the very best anesthesiologists. Joe has so many problems, but these highly skilled men kept him alive, kept him pain-free and were absolutely great.
The nurses in the ICUs and the step-down units just don't get any better. Each and every one of them did a perfect job.
Joe's doctor of Internal Medicine, Dr. George Giokas, is a brilliant man. He has taken care of the internal medicine problems with great skill. And he has diagnosed some esoteric diseases which unfortunately Joe is prone to. Joe is not an ordinary patient, because underlying the ordinary things, there are many very serious medical conditions. This doctor keeps watch over it all of these. He has paved the way for us to get quick help when Joe needs it and he monitors Joe?s Coumadin. This is the doctor Joe interfaces with the most. He?s a very caring man and extremely helpful. His insight has kept Joe alive. And his staff is the most friendly and just special, special people.
When Joe became so ill last december, I brought him over to Albany Medical Center under the care of Dr. Lawrence Zisman, a specialist in pulmonary hypertension and congestive heart failure. Joe was in terrible shape. I was sure I was going to lose him. Everything was going bad at the same time. Dr. Zisman kept him in the hospital for a month. And during that time, he did every test available, I think. When all the testing was done, he devised an absolutely brilliant plan and put it into motion. He saved Joe's life and has given him the longest period of time without being readmitted into the hospital, in a very long time. During this hospitalization, there were many, many specialists involved, hematologists, gastrointestinal specialists, pulmonary specialists, even a doctor of pharmacy to monitor all of the medications and so many others that I can?t remember them all. There was Dr.Canver and Dr. Nair and Dr. Palet, Dr. Dunn and Dr. Zisman all of whom came in to see Joe very frequently, one or more of them at least once a day, sometimes twice. There were several NPs who were superb and who help to monitor Joe now. There were innumerable technicians, cardiologist procedure specialists, fantastic nurses, nurses aides and even the cleaning staff who were so pleasant and caring and helpful. It couldn?t have been better.
Quite a while ago, before Joe had been diagnosed congestive heart failure, he was having trouble breathing and we went to the ER. They diagnosed him with bronchitis and sent him home with an antibiotic. He continued to worsen and I was worried. Two days after being in the ER, I received a call about 9 or 10 at night. The man identified himself as one of the doctors in the ER, but I failed to catch his name. He told me that he had reviewed the ER paperwork and checked the x-rays. He told me that Joe had congestive heart failure and needed to get on a diuretic asap. He repeated his message and then hung up. I was too stunned to ask any questions and was pretty naive at the time. So I contacted a doctor on call, related the story and had him call in a script to the all night pharmacy. I picked up the diuretic at about midnight and Joe started on them in the middle of the night. By the next day, he was feeling much better. That mysterious phone call saved Joe?s life that night. I still don?t know who it was.
When Joe was in the ICU with a very serious problem unrelated to surgery, he had a wonderful nurse. She told me a little story that touched my heart. We were talking about dogs and what wonderful companions they are. She had been taking care of an elderly woman who was not doing well, and had few visitors. The woman missed her dog terribly and was afraid that she would die without ever seeing her dog again. She told this nurse that the dog slept with her each night and was quite old as well. The nurse brought the dog to this woman, took care of it for the woman, and the dog slept on her hospital bed until the woman passed away. The woman was very comforted by the compassionate caring of this nurse.
There was a wonderful cardiologist who monitored Joe during some very dicey times. He said to me, ?you know, it could be me in that bed, doctors get sick too. Every time I help someone, I remember that and I take care of them the way I would want people to care for me? This man has great empathy for people and was instrumental is saving Joe?s life. He didn?t give up until he had obtained the cooperation from everyone who was involved with the situation. he made sure that all concerned did the job they were supposed to and he called in the proper specialists to help with things. I will always be grateful for the strength of this man?s fortitude and the compassionate care he gave.
Another time, when things were pretty bad, a nurse (who was from another unit, but had taken care of Joe in the past), brought in flowers. It wasn?t a fancy bouquet, just some beautiful flowers from her garden, but they brightened the room. That was ?just because?.
During frequent hospitalizations, many of Joe?s doctors and PAs who were not on the case at that particular time, have just stopped in to chat and wish him well. They didn?t have to do that, but it was human and very caring.
When Joe had major complications from a non heart related surgery, he had to have home care from the Visiting Nurses. They are just the best group of people. They took great care of him, called the doctors when necessary and monitored everything carefully. It was a wonderful comfort to have them breeze through the door.
One of my favorite stories has nothing to do with Joe, but has to do with a small hospital where I had a long contract to do commercial interior design work. A long time ago, I was working in the Nursing Supervisor?s office and overheard a conversation regarding a man who had an end stage disease. He was not doing well, and wasn?t eating. He had a strong desire for oyster stew, a soup that he loved. Of course no hospital has oyster stew on the menu. The Nursing Manager made the decision that someone would go down to the local market and get a can of oyster stew for this man. She could find no reason that this very sick man shouldn?t have something he loved. Just real and human caring. Nothing big.
*I got distracted at the end of this post and forgot to add a most important item.
When I have had to call 911, Joe's life was saved several times by the speedy response from our local volunteer firefighters and the EMTs who came soon after. They revived him on at least three occasions. These are fine and very well trained folks. He wouldn't be alive, if we didn't have that valuable service. They are neighbors, who do this, just because they want to help. It doesn't get any better than that.
