I received some criticism and push-back after yesterday's post. I would like to apologize if I offended you. I would like to say that even though I am currently trying to move my faith from medicine back to God, doctors are important. I have had some really amazing doctors, nurses, techs, and pharmacists in the past couple years. I think that God thinks doctors are important. For goodness sake, the writer of Luke and Acts was a physician. I was not trying to imply that I thought doctors were a waste of time...
Since we are on the subject of good doctors I thought today would be a great opportunity to thank God for the really stellar doctors I have/ have had. My first surgeon, Dr. Alland, she could not figure out the problem and therefore refused to operate. I appreciated her honesty and candor. She referred me to Dr. Clark, a gastroenterologist. He did multiple procedures in search of a clue, but in the end he passed me on to Dr. Haidor, an infectious disease specialist. Dr. Haidor took an interest in me as a person, not me as a sick person. We talked about my jobs and plans for the future. She frequently inquired about school. Dr. Haidor made me feel like a person not an illness. Unfortunately, she didn't find anything either. At this point, I thought I was crazy, but she reassured me I was not. She said from the blood work I was definitely sick, she just couldn't figure out with what. Shortly after my last appointment with Dr. Haidor, I was in the emergency room... again. This time it was determined that I needed to have an appendectomy. So, Dr. Cava was called in and during the appendectomy/laproscopy he finally discovered the endometriosis and lesions. For that discovery I am FOREVER grateful to Dr. Cava, even though I don't remember ever actually meeting him. I remember his nurse coming for me to sign the paper work and then one of his lackies doing rounds the few days afterward, but never actually him. Sixteen months after my first hospital stay I finally had a real diagnosis, not here is more antibiotics and more pain killers, but here is the root cause. As a general surgeon, he knew he was not equipped to handle my case long term, so I started seeing Dr. Durecki. Dr. Durecki is an odd guy, but I love him. He always had a great story for me, cursing included. I never felt rushed with him and on the day we decided to move forward with the hysterectomy he talked me through the whole process, all my questions and fears for more than an hour and a half. Dr. Cook #2 arrived on the scene at this point, he is one of Dr. Durecki's associates and comes on board for all tricky stuff. He has, by far, the best bedside manner of any doctor I have had. Dr. Stehman has been diligent in helping find a solution. Dr. Brinkman and his associates saw me the first time even though I didn't go to the right office location. I have nothing bad to say about any of the doctors I have had in this whole process. I think they have all been wonderful and have done their very best to get me well. I thank God for each and every one of them.
While I am on the subject of thanking medical professionals, I would like to pause for two nurses, one tech, and one pharmacist. The first nurse I had the first night I stayed at Parkview was named Cori. She was amazing! She stayed with me and my mom through the worst pain of my life... they didn't know at that point I was allergic to morphine so I was in pain and having a reaction to the pain medicine simultaneously. As my mom stood on one side of the bed with my head buried in her chest, Cori stood behind me rubbing my back and reassuring both my mom and me that I would be okay. The next time I stayed at Parkview, she saw my name on the board and switched patients to be with me again. I cannot tell you how much that has meant to me. She switched out an easier patient for me. I say easier because at the time I had C-Diff so she had to get all suited up before coming into my quarantined room and then get unsuited and extra sterilized when leaving. She was awesome! The second nurse was Nancy the singing night nurse. Nancy sang everything she ever said to me. I had her several nights/early mornings in a row. She was just hilarious. Now I feel bad, because I cannot remember this tech's name for the life of me... but when I was having to have blood drawn daily at Parkview the spring of 2011, he took my blood almost every time. He also began to truly know who I was. On Thursdays, he would ask me about school, because I had just got back from seminary in Marion. On Mondays, he would ask about how church was and whether or not I got to preach. I truly appreciate that he took more time to get to know me than he did to take my blood. Last, but certainly not least... my pharmacist friend, Cindy Gackenheimer. Cindy has known me my whole life, but it is always nice to be able to ask medical questions to someone you truly trust and love. She has walked this whole journey with me and for that I am eternally grateful.
I thank God regularly for these individuals, there calling, commitment and dedication. Each of them have played or are playing an important role in my overall health. I do not for one second believe that I met any of them by chance or because of medical error. I believe God ordained my meetings with each. I appreciate the medical field greatly and am truly sorry if it did not seem that way yesterday. I would also like to mention that I have never felt closer to God than I did during my first stay at Parkview. Laying in that hospital bed made me dependent on him in ways that I never was before. Yesterday, I was merely stating that I have lost my dependency on Him and begun to rely strictly on medicine. I believe that it must be both and. To God be the glory.
PS. One month until Christmas!!!
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