Describe the error or traumatic experience.
When I was 12 years old, 48 years ago, I had eye surgery at a university teaching hospital. I remain convinced a resident did the surgery, not the Great Man. I was a bit more conscious than they would have liked entering the OR.
But the young doctor did a fine job and prevented blindness.
Describe your anxiety episodes. Depression? Tears?
I was not anxious or depressed at all. I was angry, perhaps more at being physically restrained in the recovery room than by the resident performing the surgery.
I do suffer from anxiety attacks and PTSD, but it has nothing to do with that surgery, again the recovery room incident contributed.
Have these episodes improved over time? Or not?
No, but not to blame the hospital. Other traumas have piled on.
How do you deal with your anxiety attacks or PTSD?
With the help of a good board-certified internist after being messed up even further by a psychiatrist that was not boarded.
In my teens, I was helped with the trauma from the surgery and another where the surgeon who removed my tonsils didn't give me pain pills. That help came from a psychiatrict who was dual certified in psychiatry and neurology and also practiced internal medicine.
Do you live your life any differently now?
No, as a general rule I do not mind an experienced surgical resident performing the operation, providing the surgeon who's getting the big bucks is in the OR supervising. And providing I have consented to it.
Obviously, in an emergency situation, I would expect a resident might operate alone.
To give a positive example of residents, when I was going through sleep studies, I asked that they be read by the resident to give her enough studies to qualify to sit for the specialty exam. She already was board certified in internal medicine, pulmonology and critical care, so she wasn't just out of medical school.
Lessons Learned
- I am very careful about knowing who will operate. My last surgery, a relatively quick operation to decompress the ulnar nerve was done at a hospital without a surgical residency program so I know the neurosurgeon and his PA did the job.
- Unfortunately, the incision got infected, but the surgeon and the hospital "manned up" and have cared for me very well.
