The raw emotional side of Neurosurgery

As a Neurosurgeon, often times lost in the shuffle of what we do is the emotional side the patient and the patient's family feel or experience with such a traumatic diagnosis that comes with the words brain cancer, tumor, mass, or lesion. We also balance the personality changes that come related to brain surgery, sometimes bad but often time good. 

"Noone cares". I have heard this statement a few times in my life from patient's. At the Brain and Spine Center, we care. We want the best outcomes for you. We want longevity. We want you to have quality of life. We want you to thrive.

Noone can predict the influence or outcome of a patient's surgery 100% of the time. We are expected to save lives and most of the time we do but at the end of the day, doctor's are human. It seems that often times to others that it becomes a "job". Maybe we are quiet, maybe we don't show emotion in front of you, maybe we don't know the right words at a particluar moment but you should know we are present in our feelings.  We feel, we understand, we hurt for you, we cry for and with you and we listen to you. We also take you home with us and think about you sometimes all night and often throughout the day. 

Sometimes in Neurosurgery everything you try is not good enough. Sometimes things just don't work. It’s the hardest part of medicine. You beat yourself up with thoughts as if there was just something else I could have done knowing deep down, there was nothing left to do. 

We learn about coping with emotions during training but nothing prepares you for the first time you have to look into someone's eyes or you have to notify a family member. 

Thankfully, our good outcomes far exceed our bad and our good stories trump the negative. I want you to know as a patient, you are the #1 priority. Your life, your health, and your outcomes. You will be treated as if your family.

You matter. You will always matter to us.