NEUROSURGERY TESTIMONIAL
Patient Letters 2009
September 1st, 2009
Dear Dr. Linskey -- I want to give you a progress report on my health and share some positive news. Now that I'm "pain free" I am beginning to reclaim my life. It's really wonderful. Last week I received news that I was promoted at work, also heard that I was selected for a highly regarded regional public affairs fellowship, and as you know I'm trying to keep the local TN Support Group active. What a change from before, when I was just struggling to survive. It's still difficult for me to remember all the time that's been lost; however, at least now I'm looking forward to the future. How does one properly thank you for all your years of preparation and excellent care? I haven't known how to do that. So I thought I would at least write to let you know you made a huge difference in my life and I am forever grateful.
June 9th, 2009 (Dr. Binder)
Thanks needs to be heard regarding the neurosurgeon, Dr. Devin Binder, for such a successful surgery performed on me last year. Only one year after a major brain surgery and I am back to me. What used to be at least 7 seizures a week have now been reduced to ONLY 3 since surgery last year! (Major success story.) Thanks goes to Dr. Binder for his surgical skill as well as post-surgery care! (Thanks also goes to God for performing a miracle through Dr. Binder's abilities.) My neurologist, Dr. Howard Kim, also had much to do with the successful diagnosis and follow through as well. Please continue to do the wonderful work in your Neurology Department at UC Irvine Medical Center! Thanks once again.
June 3rd, 2009
Dear Dr. Paré - For months now I have been meaning to write to you to thank you for saving my life when I was brought to the trauma center at UC Irvine Medical Center after a terrible auto accident. I consider myself as being "a miracle" but if it had not been for your neurological knowledge I wouldn't be alive and able to celebrate my 80th birthday with my family and friends. I also want to thank the many other employees at UC Irvine Medical Center who were a part of my life saving event - the other doctors, the nurses, the medical technicians and many other employees who were involved. I will always be grateful to you for saving my life.
June 3rd, 2009 (Dr. Hermanowicz and Dr. Binder)
Gentleman - For over eight years I have been a Parkinson's patient of Dr. Neal Hermanowicz and have contributed to the Movement Disorders Fund of the UC Irvine School of Medicine. About a year ago, Dr. Hermanowicz suggested that I consider Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery. That suggestion caused me to undertake a search to identify the most competent neurosurgeon in the region.
I was favorably impressed by Dr. Devin Binder's credentials for this surgery when I learned of his background and training. The DBS surgery was successfully performed in November and December 2008. My satisfaction and confidence in him after that led me to arrange for him to treat the lumbar stenosis in April. The former pain in my hips, thighs and ankles is now completely gone.
During the course of these procedures, I was also favorably impressed by Laurie Baumgartner, who comforted me during the surgeries and patiently answered my numerous questions before and after surgery. Also I have been well served by Maureen Haske who programmed the chest implanted brain stimulator.
In summary, you have an outstanding neurological team at UC Irvine led by Drs. Devin Binder and Neal Hermanowicz. The team is deserving of recognition.
April 23rd, 2009 (Dr. Thaiyananthan)
Thank you so very much for reviewing my communciation in hopes that you can rest a little easier knowing that there is a team of highly trained professionals working for you and the community. I am a retired Los Angeles Police Official and has sustained many injuries to my back and cervical areas while performing my duties as a uniformed police officer. My past six surgeries were conducted at various hospitals for the surgical intervention of the cervical and lumbar areas. I finally had surgery done by a surgeon who is nationally known for his success in spinal surgeries. Assisting the surgeon at the time was Dr. Gowriharan Thaiyananthan. He is good natured and explained the whole operation to me step by step. He expressed a supreme knowledge and understanding. It was evident that he had a great concern for the pain that I was in at the time. Several weeks after this surgery, the pain came back and I was informed by the operating surgeon that i would have to live with it. My physician was not satisfied with this opinion or attitude. She was informed of a spinal review at a local restaurant which many of your talented medical doctors attended. One of those doctors was Dr. Thaiyananthan whom I remembered from my previous surgery as the attendant to the primary surgeon.
Dr. Thaiyananthan performed surgery on my spine on April 2, 2009. He is highly commended for his level of expertise. UC Irvine is a wonderful example for other medical centers to follow. I travel a long way to the city of Orange to have Dr. Thaiyananthan treat me and I would be more than happy to travel even further if necessary. He is the only one that I would trust to take care of my problematic back and neck. There are many other members of the LAPD who have similar problems and I would be privileged to recommend UC Irvine Medical Center. Thank you for having such capable hands. My life is so much more meaningful and easier as a result of my visit there. Dr. Thaiyananthan in my opinion surpassed the surgeon that he was originally working under.
April 10, 2009 (Dr. Linskey and Anna Ho were commented on "Star Performer")
Both doctors were extremely thorough in explaining procedures and trying to help my mom with her pain. The are passionate professionals who exceeded our expectations. They were trying to expedite and rush all procedures to cure my mother's pain. They are exceptional and we appreciate them.
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