Life In The Slow Lane...
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San Diego, CA, United States
This is a commentary about the slow lane, about the slowing of time since I suffered a severe brain injury while skateboarding with my dog. This is a blog about recovery; about our '82 VW Westfalia. It's about writing, surfing, camping, married life, bleeding ulcers that make you feel old at 32; about family, friends, and my dog Artie; it's about cruising in fourth gear, getting passed by every car and learning to appreciate every second of it.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Doctor Stone Strikes Back...


I would have died if not for my doctors and nurses at Scripps Mercy. The damage inflicted on my brain would have been much worse if not for those same doctors and nurses. I appreciate all they did and what they do for a living.

When I was transferred to another hospital for in-patient rehabilitation I had a new doctor. I wrote about him in this post and in several others. I didn't like him for several reasons. Despite the drugs and the damage, I didn't hear anything in his voice or I couldn't see anything in his eyes that showed any kindness. I saw status. I saw a conceited, smug man.

I remember as my frustration grew, I requested a meeting with Dr. Stone. He sat down on a chair next to my bed. He looked annoyed. I asked him if he was going to write my concerns down. He said no and then reluctantly took out a sheet of paper. I told him I wasn't benefiting from the rehab. I told him I wasn't learning anything about my condition. He left the room after I was finished. My family was waiting in the hallway. He shook his head and said something about my poor attitude.

I mentioned him, not by name, in the article. He wrote the following letter to the editor.

What An Insult

I was insulted by your article “Broken Skull, Broken Heart” (Cover Story, April 22). I was one of the physicians caring for Dorian. The derogatory depiction of his medical care and physicians in particular was in poor taste. Your readers have no idea of the time, skill, care, and interest myself and others had in trying to provide medical, advice, support for him and his family. It is clear he is and probably always was an insecure, angry, and self-absorbed person. Trust, I had no economic gain in his care, and I am unsure I have ever been paid. Someone should have edited this article. He comes across as an immature, careless person. The article does nothing to educate the public about the social, personal, neurologic consequences of brain injury, which are substantial. The Reader missed a great opportunity to help the public understand this endemic problem but settled for a hit job on the medical community.

Name Withheld by Request
via email

Thanks for the confirmation, Doctor Stone. Even brain damage can't blind a person from seeing the man you are!

7 comments:

  1. What a jerk!!! You are much better then that Dorian and don't let any self absorbed a**hole let you believe anything different. I also like how he threw in not getting paid. What a bunch of crap! I think that it was great that you confronted him because these people are suppose to care for the sick and if they can't even do that then it's time to check into a new profession! Good Job Dorian!

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  2. ha! he makes it sound like you owe him money.

    did the reader run this?

    sorry, what an a hole. good response.

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  3. Badureks (aka the Bajerks) it's great hearing from you. Thanks for all of the support. Whenever you're ready to get out of the cold, let us know. You're always welcome!

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  4. JJ, Yeah, they ran it at the top of the letter section. I wasn't the only one that had a problem with the good doc. Aimee thought the same. She's typing a response out now.

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  5. ah, the old doctor/god complex. i've met these fools before. a bad doctor can be SO bad while the good ones are priceless. this guy is scum and you bruised his shiny ego. nice work. more should stand up against these douchebags.

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  6. Nice Doctor, he works for free, he's not even sure that he got paid, oh wow, nice man, thanks for the favor nice man, now Mr. doc sir, since you are doing your patient a favor, is it too much to ask for you to actually care about him? Is it too much to ask for you to actually treat him well and honestly care about his state of being? I guess that is way too much to ask, specially since you are so much better than all of us, skaters, surfers, crazy kids jumping around just wasting your precious time... buy the way, thanks again for taking care of Dorian for free, we appreciate it.

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