5 Lutheran physicians receive kudos
Lutheran physicians save lives every day at the hospital. They give hope and provide comfort. They make an impression on patients and families that can stay with them for the rest of their lives. When they reach back out to us to say thank you, it’s our pleasure to include their words in Pulse. This month, five physicians were recognized by patients.
Letter from a former patient who is also a Lutheran caregiver
I’m a speech language pathologist at Lutheran, and I’d like to take a moment to publicly thank one of our own, Dr. Jeffrey Owsley, who made the diagnosis that, in time, gave me my life back.
For months, I was consumed by random and severe symptoms. Recurrent upper respiratory issues, persistent cough, headaches and full-body pain. I had to take a break while just walking down a flight of stairs.
At the time I was 44 years old and, before the symptoms, I was a runner who exercised daily and prioritized health and nutrition. I didn’t understand what was going on. I was scared.
My PCP was unable to diagnose me, and neither a neurologist nor an ENT provided any answers that made any sense. Then one night, in terrible pain, I was unable to descend even half the stairs. I had lost all coloring. I found myself in Lutheran’s ER.
I felt immediate relief walking into my own hospital. The nurses and the entire team were phenomenal. And Dr. Owsley suspected immediately what a bone marrow biopsy would confirm. Leukemia. PH-positive, B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
That was 2021. I don’t remember a lot from that day, but what has stayed with me is the relief I felt at finally getting a diagnosis I could fight. The gratitude for Dr. Owsley for giving me a second chance at this beautiful life. And the certainty. Even on that day, surrounded by the love and care at Lutheran, I knew I was going to be OK.
The road hasn’t been easy and, at times, it’s been hard to be hopeful. But I’m coming up on five years, and today I’m healthy.
For many months before arriving at Lutheran’s ER that night, I tried to figure out what was wrong with me. Everyone else I turned to missed it. Lutheran addressed my pain, and Dr. Owsley gave me the diagnosis that gave me a future. I am so thankful.
Patient comment shared with surveyors
We were so grateful for Dr. Matt Davoudzadeh. I had been pushing for over four hours, and they were threatening a c/s. Dr. Matt came on with a fresh set of eyes and told me, ‘I believe we can do this.’ I was able to have a vaginal delivery, and I credit him for giving me a chance.
Email sent by Peaks ACMO Chris Awtrey, MD
I wanted to share an encouraging update regarding the early progress of our new Gynecologic Oncology service presence at Lutheran Hospital.
Tomorrow, Dr. Megan Ross will be taking two patients to the OR at Saint Joseph Hospital—both of whom originated from Lutheran Hospital within the past five days. One of these patients was initially an inpatient at Lutheran and nearing discharge with a significant pelvic mass. I was consulted on her case, spoke with her directly and the hospitalist, Dr. Rosalie Chang, who was fantastic, and she was able to see Dr. Ross on Monday. She is now scheduled for surgery tomorrow.
This is exactly the type of coordinated, patient‑centered workflow we envisioned when building this program. Even more encouraging, we are very close to being able to perform these surgeries at Lutheran, eliminating the need to have patients travel to Saint Joseph for operative care.
Dr. Ross has just launched her clinic, and the rapid uptake we are seeing underscores both the need and the enthusiasm for this service. The momentum is strong, and we are truly off to the races.
Letter sent by a patient
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the care provided by Dr. Matthew Caudle. He treated me for a potential heart attack.
Dr. Scott Valent implanted a stent in my left anterior descending artery to relieve a 90 percent blockage of the artery four years ago. My blood pressure has remained in a normal range following the surgery. Dr. Valent cautioned me to seek immediate care if I experienced cardiac symptoms.
I experienced a rapid escalation in my blood pressure, coupled with a tingling sensation throughout my left arm, and mild chest pressure recently at 3 a.m. My blood pressure remained unusually high at an average of 165/126 with a pulse of 110 over the next three hours. The tingling sensation in my left arm and the mild chest pressure remained steady over the course of that three-hour period. I had not experienced anything like this following the stent procedure. I decided to seek medical care at Lutheran Hospital.
Dr. Caudle was on call when I arrived. He ordered an electrocardiogram, a chest x-ray and a phlebotomy. He asked detailed questions about my symptoms and cardiac history. My initial blood pressure was 175/125 with a pulse of 110 when I arrived at the hospital. Dr. Caudle could sense my anxiety and took proactive measures to explain each step he took and to assure me I had made the correct decision to seek medical care.
Despite the many competing demands for his time and attention, Dr. Caudle checked on me numerous times over the next four hours to explain his findings and to ensure I was comfortable. His professional, compassionate demeanor eased my concerns. I came to know that Dr. Caudle cares. He truly cares about his patients. Caring is hard. Caring takes effort. Caring takes will. Dr. Caudle fosters a sense of trust and peace with his medical knowledge and his interpersonal skills. I remain grateful for his care.
The process he took clearly demonstrated that I had not experienced a heart attack. I was both profoundly surprised and profoundly relieved. I was also embarrassed for my inability to diagnose and understand my own symptoms. I apologized for the trouble I caused Dr. Caudle and your staff. Dr. Caudle took my apology to heart and advised that it was better to seek care with my history of cardiac issues, even if a false alarm, than to need care and not seek treatment. I appreciate his understanding and his remarks.
Dr. Caudle suggested my exercise regimen may have been the source of my symptoms and advised that I should moderate it. I returned home and relaxed the balance of the day. Saturday night my blood pressure had returned to normal at 122/71 with a pulse of 68.
My beloved wife of 53 years is currently being treated for ocular melanoma. She has lost sight in the affected eye and has significant depth perception problems with her remaining eye. She subsequently cannot do the many things she enjoyed before the cancer, including her arts and crafts, and the freedom she enjoyed driving her car. This has materially reduced her quality of life and left her severely depressed. Her care and her welfare weigh heavily upon me. I had feared that a heart attack could significantly affect my ability to care for her. I shared that concern with Dr. Caudle, and he expressed genuine, authentic compassion for her circumstance.
The sense of relief I experienced when I left Lutheran Hospital is difficult to express. That relief is the product of a doctor who cares about his patients and works tirelessly to provide the highest standard of care.
I am a Christian. My faith is of critical importance to me. On my way home, I knelt beside my car in the parking garage to offer a prayer of gratitude for the care provided by Dr. Caudle and your staff. I thanked God that I did not have a heart attack. I asked for more discernment in my evaluation of my own symptoms, and I asked for a special blessing for Dr. Caudle and nurse Stefanie.
You are fortunate to have a man with Dr. Caudle’s medical skills and human compassion in your employ. I was fortunate to be treated by a man who did everything possible to diagnose my condition and to understand my circumstance.
I hope I will never have to visit the Emergency Room again; however, if I do, I take comfort in knowing there is a man there who will do everything possible to care for me, and by extension, my wife. May God bless Dr. Caudle and may God bless all of you in your life saving work.
Submit Dr. Kudos: In addition to letters from patients, we also post gratitude from medical staff members who want to thank their colleagues for their valuable counsel and support. If you would like to submit kudos for a Lutheran physician or advanced practice professional, please click the button below.