Total bullshit

[LisaB]

I feel like I need to weigh in here somewhere. Mike, I'm sorry you had this horrible experience when I had a very good experience with Bridwell and got better than expected correction and have had a good recovery so far. I guess what bothers me is that everyone is maligning him for your experience when he clearly is an excellent and dedicated surgeon. Even with the best doctors or lawyers or any professionals, someone is going to have a bad experience. I just know how much time he spent "chewing" as he put it over whether to fuse me to the pelvis with anchors, essentially doing a revision of the spondy surgery I had a year and a half ago which fused L4-S1, or to fuse me to L1 and leave L3 and 4 alone. He sent me for a CT of my lumbar spine the day before surgery to take a better look other than just x-rays. He decided that everything looked good down there and he could leave me with greater flexibility and the surgery would be an hour and a half or so shorter which would also be better for me. In your case it sounds like there were several issues that concerned him. I remember your post that on one occasion earlier he said that his first option would be to pin you so you wouldn't get worse or do nothing at this point. I think at that point you were asking Bernie if he would really not try to get some correction. I feel sure that he was probably looking at every possibility to fix you and at the same time weighing the risk/reward. Even though the timing was bad, maybe you should be thankful that he at least recognized that he felt your risk outweighed the reward he could give you. After reading about Joyful and seeing the horrible things that can happen, I don't think you want to go into this surgery with a doctor who's not 100% confident in what he wants to do. Again, admittedly even by him, the timing was horrible but would you really want someone operating on you who didn't really want to?

[jrnyc]

i believe Mike is owed an explanation...a complete one!
i really wonder what other surgeons...top ones...would/will have to say about surgery for him...like the ones at the hospital where Linda works... or the top guys in NYC...

jess

[naptown78]

it is awful to lose trust in a doctor you once trusted...especially one you were ready to trust with your very life!
and may be difficult to trust the next one...though i cant imagine any other surgeon doing this to a patient...not at the last minute like that!

i suspect your anger may last for awhile...and that is normal...because you geared yourself up for the surgery...it takes mental, emotional and physical energy to get ready for such a major operation...the mind and body cant just de escalate that fast...the shock has to wear off...and if you think of the stages of grief...consider that you might go through some of those stages in relation to what has happened...when one gets excited, "psychs" oneself up for something, it is not biologically possible to just reverse that so easily....

take care...and don't be surprised at whatever feelings come up...
any/everyone this happened to would feel the same things...
please give yourself a break...and lots of time...i know time is a precious commodity when one is dealing with a curve(s) like yours...but humans cannot hurry these sort of emotional reactions...believe me...
plenty of scientists and behavior specialists have been studying human responses for many years...

wishing you the best...
jess

Jess,
This is such a great response to Mike! This is so true and makes so much sense. There is nothing wrong in letting yourself be angry. Mike, you have lost trust in somebody and it takes time to let yourself trust again. While I in no way had the same situation as you, I had issues with my first surgeon and went through some anger, hurt, and trust issues myself and it takes some time to go through the cycle. I hope you hear from Dr. B soon in your search for a new surgeon............

[osumike]

I received an email from Dr. Bridwells nurse Bernie with a list of Doctors he highly recommends. I requested this or at least a referral after everything was canceled. Does anyone have any comments or experience with any of these.......?


Sig Berven San Francisco

Chris DeWald Chicago

Steve Mardjetko Chicago

Oheneba Boachie New York City

Chris Shaffrey Virginia

Frank Schwab New York City

Mike Neuwirth New York City

[jrnyc]

hi Mike
bet you could have come up with that list by yourself...or from folks on forum!!

there are patients of Boachie and Neuwirth on here...am pretty sure there are patients from many of the other recommended surgeons...i consulted with both those 2...personally never heard of Schwab, but surely others have....

i hope that you connect with the one right for you...i do remember that Linda said she would suggest Boachie...but i dont know if he takes insurance...he used to take insurance reimbursements...i couldnt go to him for surgery because i had to go in network....paid cash for consult...at the time, it was about $450 i think...

best of luck with your search...
jess

[CHRIS WBS]

Hi Mike,

This young lady had surgery by Dr. DeWald. http://scoliosis.org/forum/showpost....2&postcount=10

Prior to my surgery I had the opportunity to attend a couple support group meetings in the Chicago area and there were patients of Drs. DeWald and Mardjetko present. I heard only positive feedback about these doctors. Chicago actually has a good surgeon pool. I was fortunate I did not have to travel for surgery.

[LindaRacine]

I received an email from Dr. Bridwells nurse Bernie with a list of Doctors he highly recommends. I requested this or at least a referral after everything was canceled. Does anyone have any comments or experience with any of these.......?


Sig Berven San Francisco

Chris DeWald Chicago

Steve Mardjetko Chicago

Oheneba Boachie New York City

Chris Shaffrey Virginia

Frank Schwab New York City

Mike Neuwirth New York City

Hi Mike...

I happen to work for Sig Berven, and totally agree that he should be on the top of the list. I honestly don't think there's a finer spinal deformity surgeon in the U.S. At UCSF, I would also add Serena Hu. In addition, I have heard only 100% positive things about Larry Lenke (Bridwell's partner).

Regards,
Linda

[Confusedmom]

What a great list! Thanks for posting OSUMike & your additions, Linda.

Evelyn

[jrnyc]

i swear...ANYONE turned down by Dr Bridwell...come to NYC...
if Boachie turns you down...well, really...i doubt it! he travels the world operating on kids with 100 degree scoli and greater, and other spinal deformities....!!!
and i suspect Lenke might be a wasted trip......wouldn't Bridwell consult with Lenke if he has doubts about a case...?
i'd want 3 refusals from top surgeons before i would consider myself not surgery-able...but that is just my own opinion....
not trying to upset or offend....
hope you find the one, Mike...

jess

[debbei]

Mike,
I had only good experiences with Dr. Neuwirth.