Hypocritic Oath
My Sister-in-law has been diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.
According to her neurologist she needs a shunt put into her skull. If she doesn’t get this operation she will go blind. Not as in “Someday you will lose some vision”, but more like “Sometime next month you will permanently lose all use of your eyes”. Eventually, without the proper treatment she could eventually die.
Fortunately she is in better shape than a lot of people who have serious medical problems. She has a supporting family, she and her husband have well paying jobs, and most importantly she has good health insurance.
Unfortunately what she does not have is a neurosurgeon. Every single time she finds one she is immediately informed they “don’t deal with pseudotumor patients”.
She literally can’t get a doctor to save her life.
No one will go into details, but we’re pretty sure that the qualified surgeons are skittish because any brain operation is risky. And Americans have become a very litigious people. Medical lawsuits have gotten to be so bad that in my state there are no more practicing neurosurgeons. All of my friends with kids have problems getting pediatricians, because people really get lawsuit crazy when their kids are involved.
So anyhow according to Google ads, lots and lots of people read my blog. Do any of you happen to be neurosurgeons? Do any of you know one that isn’t a giant pansy?
Heck I’d be willing to settle for incriminating photographs at this point.
There isn’t a punch line today. This is an inherently unfunny situation, and I could really use some help locating some medical help for this.
Later this weekend I’ll make up for this by writing about inflatable sheep or something.
Update: We found a doctor. Thanks for all of the leads.
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September 21st, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Have you asked the skittish surgeons for reccommendations about who might be willing to operate on your sister-in-law? They may not be able to help, but they might know other neurosurgeons (or organizations that know other neurosurgeons) who can.
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September 21st, 2007 at 2:58 pm
The foundation can’t put you in touch with one? You mention litigation in your home state, but can’t she travel elsewhere for the surgery?
My prayers are with your sister.
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September 21st, 2007 at 3:58 pm
You’re right, this isn’t funny. I wish I could help, but I’m afraid I’m over here in the Socialist Democratic People’s Rebublic of Great Britain, where the Beloved Leader Brown has decreed that all doctors must work (unless they were trained over here)…
Some lawyers need shooting. And I say that as someone engaged to marry a lawyer.
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September 21st, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Your wife already contacted me about this but feel free to ask me any questions you might have also. Don’t get me started on the concept of not wanting to help the patient do anything but “go home to die”!
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September 21st, 2007 at 4:11 pm
And by the way, my neurosurgeon take PTC patients but he is here in Houston. BUT, we also know he does VERY good work!
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September 21st, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Hey Skippy – I’ve got connections to about a billion hospitals here in Pittsburgh, give me a few and hopefully I can find something for you …
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September 21st, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I don’t remember the name of my mom’s neurosurgeon, but when she had a brain tumor in an inoperable area, this surgeon tried to save her anyways. The hospital he works out of is called:
Zale Lipshy
5151 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75390
Phone: 866-645-6455
For Automated Directions: 214-648-6264
It is a part of southwest medical school.
I just called my grandmother and she said one of the men’s name is Duke Sampson. I don’t know if either of the surgeons will take someone with no recommendations, or even do this kind of thing, but maybe if you call and beg they can help you out.
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September 21st, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Having just gone through the trauma of a mis-diagnosis of this same thing, I highly recommend USC Doheny eye center in Los Angeles. They not only corrected the mis-diagnosis, they have been workign overtime to find the real problem. These guys are great. Hope you are somewhere near enough to see them.
Somewhere I also had a recommendation for someone in the Midwest. I will look that up and get back to you. BEst wishes for a speedy recovery for your SIL!
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September 21st, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I couldn’t find the second place. I linked your blog though and asked that who ever recommended it to me, come here and pass along the name.
Note that Doheny is special that they do BOTH Optical and Neurology….
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September 22nd, 2007 at 12:29 am
Hi there I came here through DeeAnne’s Blast in 360 I do not know much except that this guy is one of the top Neurologists in the country.I have known of him through work he has done on friends with Neurological issues worth a look see I think
Dr. Navvaro
Weslaco Texas
He is also associated in Houston Tx at MD Anderson I believe. Best of luck to all involved.
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September 22nd, 2007 at 2:54 am
I live in Arkansas and I have PTC/IH and have had the shunt placement in Little Rock at UAMS My Dr. is Dr. Rowe and he is wonderful and I would call him at 501-686-7000 and ask for the neurosurgery dept.
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September 22nd, 2007 at 5:36 am
I wish you all the best luck! Im currently in the same boat. Its really hard to have PTC/IH. My prayers are with your family.
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September 23rd, 2007 at 12:05 am
Can’t help with the surgeon, but I can offer your sister-in-law and your families my prayers and best wishes.
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September 23rd, 2007 at 8:58 am
I see that you found a doctor but I wanted to pass this info along, just in case. John Clause Krusz, MD, PhD, medical director of Anodyne Headache and PainCare in Dallas. He diagnosed me with Secondary IH almost 20 years ago. Mine was treated successfully by removing the excess fluid through LP but it took many painful months before I finally made it to Dr. Krusz and a diagnosis. I pray that your SIL will, too, soon receive her successfull treatment.
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October 23rd, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Unfortunately, I can’t help you out with recommending a neurosurgeon unless you are going to fly out to South Arica. I just wanted to say that I had a VP shunt op in 1997. Since then, I have been off al medication and have had no side effects. Its not a nice op and the recovery period is lousy, but its a lot better than the alternatives.
Sp good luck with everything, I hope it all went well
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November 2nd, 2007 at 6:54 am
If it is possible, look up Dr Harold Smith in Lubbock TX. I have worked with him for 3 years, and he does amazing work. He is a very very very talented neurosurgeon, and does mostly brain surgeries. He has worked with numerous pseudotumor patients with great success. His partners are also very talented neurosugeons as well, and when Dr Smith is not there, his partners are. Dr Smith was specially requested to do a very high profile siamese twin seperation, but declined due to his patient load at the time. He is amazing and I would let him work on any of my family or myself.
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November 4th, 2007 at 2:13 am
Skippy,
If this is still an issue, I dont see a date on the post, so if it’s not, my apologies.
Gordon James MD – http://www.seattleneurology.com
1570 N 115th St # 14, Seattle – (206) 365-0111
He’s written several papers on your SIL’s issue. I hope this helps.
Robynne
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December 14th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Try a british doctor..They do everything…because everything goes wrong with them.. i meant the people, not the doctors..heh.
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January 19th, 2008 at 3:03 am
hope ur sisterinlaw is feeling well
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September 18th, 2008 at 1:59 am
I would recommend talking to the medical director boards state by state and nationwide to recommend doctors that have some kind of – disclaimer for possible occurrences from surgery. Also would look into human participant in research programs – for new program treatments for different afflictions from a site such as http://www.usuhs.mil/research.html also a site few may have seen for medical information is http://whatsnextnetwork.com/ under both health and science and technology – several categories of each with several new technologies that are mostly under the research category. There are large varieties of treatment options being discovered and tested at this site – though even if their treatments are not for specific problem the locations may know of steps necessary to locate a doctor to perform surgery. Needless to say refusal to operate on a patient with some chance of success is literally a death sentence and willing negligence in short a intentional medical homicide by physicians.
Let me know if these sites have anything that can help. Most people overlook the new technological developments though there are even types of non invasive surgery for tumor removal in sensitive areas predominately the brain . I could speculate that using a similar process to correct other areas of problematic locations in the human brain could be adapted from their non invasive surgery techniques for tumor removal. Though i am not specifically aware of that particular problems characteristics.
Well best of luck and make sure to inquire into research testing of new technology and techniques with usually are types that have disclosures of process and – possible health interactions listed, though they may require long term monitoring to gather scientific data of success results and other effects that could occur.
Have a great day – Best of luck
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January 25th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Some of those surgeons need THEIR heads examined. If I could devote the time to it, I am pretty sure that, as a comedian of sorts myself, I could come up with a slew of dark humor targetted at them. Maybe they all had lobotomies or something. It is late, and I really cannot think of anything clever or meaningful to say on this subject.
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