Health Issues and (Associated Medicines)
1933/34 Glandular Neck Surgeries (2)
While I have no memory of these surgeries, I do recall my mother telling me that they occurred during my first year: one behind the neck and another in front. Both on the right side and gland related. What I found interesting is that Tiki also had neck surgery at an early age 1/9, but not related to my glandular ops.
1942 – Appendectomy (8)
When I was being examined by an ENT doctor in his office, I doubled-up due to pain in my right side and also vomited. He immediately sent my mother and me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with a ruptured appendix and immediately sent to surgery. My father – who was tending to our store – open for business – didn’t find out until I was in recovery. I stayed in the hospital for 8 days and remember that my brother Paul would make me laugh and that hurt a lot. On the drive home, I heard my parents bickering. When they did so, they spoke in Yiddish thinking I couldn’t understand. Apparently, they didn’t know during the year my Grandmother stayed with us, she taught me a bissel (a little bit). What is significant the drive home from the hospital was hearing my father say: geyn tsurik tsu Slabodka (go back to). Was he suggesting that life would be better in Slabodka? And where was that? Well the name stayed with me many years. When Lisa and I went to Lithuania in 2005 and I finally learned about Slabodka.
1971 – Premature Ventricular Contractions (Metoprolol) (38)
During the summer of ‘71 I had a very busy week: teaching summer school, presenting a woodwind workshop and performing in the bass clarinet and second chairs for BSO concerts. It would rush from here to there, grab a bite to eat and go, go, go. In addition, I was also taking an exercise class at the Y which included running a mile. After arriving at a high school where the symphony was playing one evening, on the fourth day of this frenetic pace, I sat in my chair next to Iggie Gennuse, principal clarinet, and tried to catch my breath. Iggie started talking and told me how a former clarinetist with the Symphony had died while in his seat. As if I needed to hear that. Then he proceeded to remove a dental bridge for some reason and show it to me. So much for catching my breath. I returned home immediately after the concert and was quite thirsty and downed a large bottle of Pepsi and tried again to settle down. I soon became aware that my heart was pounding and I was still hyper. When I took my pulse, I noticed that it would be beat steadily and then it would stop for a second before a following with a stronger beat. Well that started more adrenaline flowing as if the caffeine stimulation from the Pepsi weren’t enough. By now I was really shook-up. I kept checking and rechecking my pulse and, of course, mentally exacerbating the condition. After a restless night, I call my PCP who saw me later that morning and diagnosed the arrhythmia as post ventricular contractions. He assured me that they were common but that did little to calm my anxiety. Although that initial occurrence took place almost 50 years ago, to this day I am aware of the missed beat and follow-up strong pulse. I have accepted being sensitive to the sensation and have pretty much put on the back burner.
1995 – Back Surgery L/4-5 (62)
After driving to Ocean City in the spring of ‘95 to close up our condo after the summer rental season, Joni and I headed to a restaurant for dinner. After parking the car, I reach for my jacket which was on the back seat and suddenly had this searing pain in my back. Upon returning to Baltimore, I tried to get an appoint with an orthopedist. Three weeks later I saw Dr. Friedman who took x-rays and an MRI. During the follow-up visit, he examined the MRI and immediately called Dr. Neil Aronson, a neurosurgeon and asked him “what are you doing now?” To which Dr. Aronson said he was getting ready to play some golf. Dr. Friedman asked him to delay going to the course to see “this young fellow who was in great pain.” Dr. Aronson agreed to see me immediately. Upon arriving at his nearby office, Joni and I sat in front of his desk as he explained the structure of the nerves and vertebrae in the lower back using a plastic model. He then took me into an examining room to evaluate. After returning to his desk, Dr. Aronson said that he wanted me to go to bed for a week to see if rest would help. In the meantime, he said he would schedule surgery for ten days hence in case I needed it. When I returned a week later to his waiting room now filled with patients, Dr. Aronson spotted me and called me over. He asked, “are you 90 percent better?” When I said not even five percent, he shook my hand and said “see you Wednesday at Sanai (hospital).” After I arrived, and while resting on a gurney, he came by in his green scrubs and explained what to expect. The last thing I remember was being rolled into the operating room, seeing Dr. Aron slide the MRI image into a reader and explaining details to his assistant. Following a long time in the recovery room, I was taken to a hospital room where Joni and Keith greeted me. Once in bed, I noticed that I had a bothersome pain on my left side so Joni summoned the nurse who said let’s get you to the bathroom; perhaps you have to “go”. She placed the IV on portable pole and then guided me towards the bathroom. With the first couple of steps I discovered that the pain in my leg was gone, completely gone, and a couple of minutes later so was the ache in the side; the trip to the bathroom took care of that. Although free of aches and pain, I didn’t sleep at all that night so when Dr. Aronson came in the following morning and took a seat, I told him about the events of the previous afternoon and about the restless night. He explained that the antibiotics in the IV probably kept me awake. He then asked me if I was anxious about having the operation. I said I said I was until we were in the operating room and I saw he and his assistant so engaged examining the MRI. Seeing them so engaged about what they would be doing relaxed and reassured me that all would be okay. Upon hearing that, Dr. Aronson said “that is very humbling.” At that point I thought he would leave and continue his rounds. Instead, he told me about his back surgery for the same problem, a herniated disk with the extruded “material” surround the sciatic nerve. He said, that although he had performed over 4000 back surgeries, when it came to his surgery, he thought longer and hard about whom to choose and decided upon a former student who was then head of surgery at Philadelphia’s Hahnemam hospital. And when Dr. Aronson was on the gurney in the operating room telling his student what to do, the doc said “Neal, shut up and go to sleep.” He and I thensahre a good laugh.The following evening I slept well and returned home the next day. With three weeks left before the start of classes and a four-consecutive-hour teaching schedule, I set about gaining strength by walking every day and gradually increasing the distance. Speaking of which, now in the distance future by some twenty-five years, I still marvel at the fact that I’ve never had any recurrence of the leg pain.
1990s – High Blood Pressure (Losartan)
– Elevated Cholesterol (Crestor)
2005 – GERD (Omeprazole)
2006 – Lyme Disease (73)
On our flight back from Italy in September, I thought the back of the plane was quite cold so I asked the attendant for a blanket and snuggled up for the long flight from Milan to Newark before driving the final leg back to Baltimore after staying over night at the Airport Holiday Inn. In our room I experienced chills and had no idea what was going on. Nevertheless, the following morning, we checked out after breakfast and made the drive back to Baltimore. During the next nine months I had neck and shoulder pain, insomnia, loss of appetite and other aches and pains. Watching TV and reading was about all I could do other than go to various physicians to see if they could determine what was going on. When I wet to see my cardiologist the following May, he asked how I was doing, I told him about what I had been experiencing since the previous September. He asked, if I had been diagnosed for Lyme disease and I said, only by my wife as far as I knew. I had assumed that Dr. Malinow (my PCP) who I had visited many times during the year, would have checked given the number of tests he had ordered. Dr. Solomon called him and asked and the answer was no, he hadn’t checked for Lyme disease. So a test was ordered and the next morning I received a call from Dr. Malinow saying that the test came back with two of the twelve marks indicating positive. He immediately sent a script for Amoxicillin to our pharmacy. Within 5 days, I was so on the mend and returning to life with renewed spirit and no after affects. While many doctors missed the diagnosis, Joni’s guess was on the money. Unfortunately, I had no rash showing the target zone where the deer tic landed either possibly before going to Italy or, perhaps, during our ten days there.
2010 – Atrial Fibrillation (Xarelto) (77)
Following a check-up visit with our PCP, Dr. Savadel, I subsequently received a call from her saying that the ECG indicated A-fib and that she wanted me start using Xarelto and to wear a monitor for a more definitive diagnosis. Although I was asymptomatic, the result showed low percentage occurrence. have remained on the blood thinner ever since with, fortunately, no side effects.
2011 – Sleep Apnea (CPAP) (78)
The results of an overnight sleep study at GBMC indicated that I had obstructive sleep apnea. I soon began to use a CPAP machine and now (2020) wouldn’t think of not using it.
2011 – Hypothyroidism (Synthroid)
2012 – Pneumonia (Z-PAK Oral) (79)
When Dr. Savadel determined that I had walking pneumonia, I was quite surprised but given that the treatment was a five-day regimen of Zithromax, I wasn’t concerned. So I took the dosages as prescribed and, sure enough, on my return visit I was clear and ready to return to normal activities except for the fact that I was experiencing abdominal queasiness and feeling quite unsettled. The was the beginning of
2012 – General Anxiety Disorder
2012 – General Anxiety Disorder
A seven-year battle with anxiety and prescription drug-addition followed a bout with pneumonia which triggered a sense of fear that I had never experienced previously and had no idea how to handle. As a result, Dr. Savadel, PCP, prescribed a limited dose of Zanax. When that didn’t help, she prescribed Lorazepam. While it took several weeks for that to produce any results, when it did, I felt some relief for short periods of time. I once again experienced insomnia and asked her if I could add another tablet at bedtime in hopes of getting some sleep. She reluctantly agreed. When things didn’t get better and, after I experienced panic attacks, resulting in three trips to GBMC for chest pain, Dr. Savadel suggested I meet with Dr. Melinda Fitting, the resident psychologist at Park Medical. Following more than a year with Dr. Fitting and continued difficulty sleeping Dr. Fitting suggested that I also see a psychiatrist who would be able to determine if additional meds might help. Well he did and I started on Mirtazapine with the hope that I would profit from its sleeping side effect. After another year or so, both Dr. Fitting and the psychiatrist (I can’t remember his name) retired and she referred me to Dr. Cynthia Fields, a geriatric psychiatrist who turned out to be the granddaughter of a pianist friend, Bob Fields who had graduated from Peabody before I arrived but whom I knew professionally. To the medicines I was already taking for anxiety, she added Buspirone with changes in dosage to determine what might work. As time continued to go by and still with little improvement, she suggested I meet with Dana Sleicher, an anxiety therapist who had an office opposite hers at Good Samaritan Hospital. Given that I was determined to somehow get better, I was happy to see Dana in addition to Dr. Fields. Thus began another phase of treatment, this time working with Dana’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy skills. More than a year-and-a half later (fall 2017), with a grasp on one of her profound comments (“trying to control uncertainty is fear based; allowing uncertainty is curiosity based”), I shifted gears and instead of looking for help as I had for so long, it was time to help myself. As a result, I accepted my addiction to Lorazepam and Buspirone and set a two-year goal to wean myself off of these (to me awful) drugs with the guidance of both Dr. Fields and Dana. By this time the drugs were more of a problem than the anxiety and fear that I had experienced. In the spring of 2019, I met with Dana for our final visit and, in September, I had reached my goal, one month shy of two years. Shortly thereafter I had my “graduating” visit with Dr. Fields. With all anxiety gone and the visits to Good Sam in the past, I gleefully said to Joni “I’m back!” It was, for sure, time to move forward.
2015 – Gout attack (Prednisone)
2018 – Gout attack (Prednisone)
2016 – Glaucoma [right eye] (Latanoprost/Timolol)
2020 – Glaucoma [left eye] (Latanoprost/Timolol)
Tongue Cancer (“Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ”)
On September 20, 2021, said diagnosis came six years after my dental hygienist discovered a round, whiteish area on the under, right-side of my tongue. She, of course, immediately reported it to Dr. David Page, DDS, who directed me to Dr. John Micherling who performed two biopsies, one in January 2015 and a second in July 2015. The first report indicated dysplasia, no cancer; the second no dysplasia, no cancer. Dr. Mitcherling sent the reports to Dr. Page who would keep a check on the area during my four-month checkups.
After several years went by and during one of my visits with Dr. Andrew Goldstone (ENT), I indicated that I was experiencing some soreness in the area. In February 2020 he prescribed Mile’s Solution to use for 10 days. When that didn’t help, he continued to check on it during bi-annual visits. About a year later, during an exam, Dr. Goldstone used a tongue depressor to examine the area and that was painful. When I saw him again in August and reported that I was having sudden ear “pricks”, he said he wanted me to see Dr. Fazad Masroor, Head and Neck Surgery at GBMC. On September 20, he performed two puncture biopsies of the affected area. When the report came back “Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ” he recommended surgery which is scheduled for November 11, 2021.
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Joni said that I was in surgery for about 9.5 hours during which I had the following procedures:
GLOSSECTOMY PARTIAL (Right Mouth)
DISSECTION NECK MODIFIED RADICAL (Right Neck).
The “Post Anesthesia Postprocedure Evaluatiion”
Anesthesia Postprocedure Evaluation
Anesthesia Postprocedure Evaluation by Farid B Amin, MD at 11/12/2021 7:12 AM
After two -and-a half days in the hospital, post surgery, I was discharged on Saturday morning as the noon hour approached. Transport took me to the Emergency entrance where Joni picked me up for a most-welcomed ride home. A follow-up appointment with the surgeon was scheduled for Wednesday morning (11/17/2021) at which time he removed the drain from my neck and provide me with further instructions for a good recovery. Joni has been wonderful as always. For some reason the expression “nurse ratchet” comes to mind but I’m not sure why because she is the antithesis of “Big Nurse” of Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
A liquid diet where yogurt, apple sauce, Boost and ice cream were the mainstays got old quickly. I keep thinking that maybe French toast (without the crust) was in the offing.
I am thankful that I have only had to take Tylenol for pain medication. I certainly didn’t want to have any Oxycodone in my system: too easy to get hooked on prescriptive pain killers. The surgeon was surprised that all I needed was Tylenol. Though it was challenging to swallow medications without crushing and floating them in applesauce. They were all bitter for some reason.
Although I had to avoid using the CPAP machine during the two nights in the hospital, upon returning home I was able to use it w/o any problem. After 12 years, it was strange to not wear the mask every night.
The most challenging aspect, post surgery, was the constant salivation overflow. When in the hospital I had a suction “wacker” to remove excess secretions. At home, boxes of tissues and hankies did the job and, as swallowing becames easier, the nuisance became somewhat less annoying.
One of the most amazing parts of this entire experience (so far), has been the amount of information that is now shared among Hopkins, GBMC and Park Medical Associates. The collection of information (by Epic) and now available online is mind-boggling.
Great News! The Surgical Pathology Exam Final Result arrived (11/16/21) via GBMC MyChart. Although I’m not an expert, my reading of the report was a great relief: “negative for squamous carcinoma” and “No positive nodes of 25 nodes.”
On Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, the surgeon confirmed my reading that I was cancer free. During the visit he removed the neck drain. as well as the sutures and surgical tape used for the Neck Dissection.
As of January 15, 2022, I have been progressing nicely as a result of rehabilitation (PT) and speech therapy both at GBMC. My post op visits with the surgeon have gone well and all concerned are pleased with the outcome.