Seven Lutheran physicians receive patient kudos

Lutheran often receives letters from patients who are deeply grateful for the exceptional care and compassion we provide. This month, one of those letters was written by a Lutheran physician-turned-patient after a nasty fall.

Read his letter below, as well as one from another patient who had no idea how complex his life-saving surgery was until he arrived home and read his surgeon’s notes.

We’re proud to recognize these physicians and all members of our medical staff who provide the safest, highest-quality care to their patients every day.

Letter sent by Jerry Miklin, MD, Cardiovascular Services

“I had a nasty fall at another hospital as I was finishing a long weekend on call. I was pretty certain I had broken at least one rib but went home after the fall, hoping it was not so bad. Within a few hours, the pain got much worse and I went back to the other hospital’s ER at 3 a.m. for diagnostic imaging because it's closer to my house than Lutheran. After getting an x-ray and CT scan there, it was still unclear how many ribs were displaced and I was hoping to avoid surgery. By the next day, my pain level had only increased and I could feel my ribs moving, making it clear that surgery was necessary. I consulted Dr. Franco Rea at Lutheran, who did my surgery, including plating all four ribs because it turned out they were all displaced. I also needed a chest tube due to a punctured lung.

“I want to express my utmost sincere appreciation to all the staff, from surgery and hospitalists to nursing and support staff, for the incredibly thorough and compassionate care I received at Lutheran during my four-day stay. I especially want to acknowledge Dr. Rea, as well as his associates Dr. Bryan Baer and Dr. Ed Pulido, as well as Dr. John Archard, Dr. Aram Neuschatz, Dr. Leah Wydro, and nurses Lilya on telemetry and Angela, Katie, Kim and Carrie in the ICU for the extraordinary care I received. Even the x-ray techs who came to my room were noticeably friendly, thorough and efficient. 

“Thank you to Lutheran Hospital for making an unfortunate experience as manageable as it could have possibly been.”

A letter sent by a patient

“Dear Dr. Jeffrey Rubinstein, I wanted to send you a note of supreme appreciation for the excellent job you did on the cardiac catheterization procedure you performed on me.

“It was not until I read the entire 107-page documentation of that procedure did I realize the difficulties you faced in clearing the two calcium blockages in the cardiac artery on the back of my left ventricle.

“I was awake during the entire 150 or so minutes it took to complete the work and I could hear you quietly speaking to your associates and assistants, but I did not know the complexities you faced to ultimately complete that task with total success.

“After attempting to clear the first calcium rock-hard blockage several times without success you inserted what appeared to be very small ‘drill bit’ and proceeded to actually drill through the solid calcium block while my heart was actively beating and moving around. I can only imagine how difficult this process must have been without putting holes in the soft tissue of my cardiac artery.

“However, you performed that task without a single error and then did it a second time several centimeters farther down the same artery on what appeared to be a second calcium block that appeared larger than the first.    

“You then followed up those very difficult tasks with the insertions of two rather large stents to keep the artery open and blood flowing through like a fire hose.

“I am feeling very much better since the procedure and I am doing things that I have put off for years thanks to your knowledge and the amazing skill set you have developed over your years of practice.

“I know that you had a very gifted group of assistants and associates there that day helping you with the procedure. However, it is my opinion that those individuals work their best when they have a leader like yourself leading the group. Please pass on my appreciation to them as well.

“In closing, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my now well-functioning heart for the great effort you put forth in making this life-changing event occur for me.

“The entire greater Denver area, state of Colorado and entire western United States is very, very fortunate to have you helping us survive in this world a bit longer than we may not have without you in our midst. Again I thank you, Dr. Rubenstein, for all your great work.”