Although in life, most of us do not plan for the worst—for major injuries or death—there are those heroes who not only prepare for such matters but who know how to navigate the tumultuous waters of unforeseen health issues and curveballs. The heroes are doctors, and while they may not wear capes, they do save lives. But like everything, they are not all created equally—some are more skilled at prognosis, while others excel at surgery, and a select few have a gift for seeing hope and possibility where it has long been lost. Dr. Rosenstein represents the trifecta, delivering what most would call miracles, time and time again. Although his list of testimonials and “thank you” cards is nearly equal to his patient count, certain examples of his work deserve special attention.
Brenda was living a relatively healthy and full life for an eighty-two-year-old woman. She exercised, played golf, was sharp, and loved spending time with her adult children. One fateful day while out walking, she was run over by a car, leading to head injuries and a compound fracture on her left leg, resulting in a below-the-knee amputation. Though the initial injuries were severe, she did in fact, recover from them. However, during the healing process, her chronic back pain went from a nuisance to crippling, resulting in being bed-ridden, unable to walk or even sit without being in agony. Due to her debilitated state things deteriorated quickly. Brenda was sent to the hospital on two separate occasions to aid with pain relief and function where she was told there was nothing they could do and ultimately discharged to a nursing facility to essentially die. The weeks in bed left her in peril, resulting in significant weight loss, malnourishment, and many of her organs failing—in fact, her condition was so bad that she arrived at Dr. Rosenstein’s office in a stretcher. With her previous prognosis being that nothing could be done, and hospice would have to be the next step, this was her final shot. Luckily, the doctor is renowned for his ability to perform seemingly miracles on patients with little hope for their condition.
After admitting her to the hospital and nutritionally and medically reviving her, it was time for surgery—and not a simple one; this was a complex multilevel back fusion to treat lumbar instability and lumbar stenosis. This surgery proved to be the answer because not only did the pain finally completely dissipate, but to her family’s amazement, Brenda fully recovered. Most recently, she came in for her one-year follow-up, and she is feeling great with absolutely no pain and even playing bridge again. So, a patient whom several other doctors had given up and told the family to wait for impending death essentially has in the care of Dr. Rosenstein recovered and is now living without the chronic pain that plagued her for years before the accident. What differentiated her experience with Dr. Rosenstein was his thorough questioning and vision for her possibilities. It turns out that speaking to Brenda’s step son, who brought her in, provided pivotal information about her potential which helped to form a treatment plan and a more accurate assessment of the situation–beyond the frail appearance on the surface. The conversation convinced Dr Rosenstein that there was hope and potential and led to Rosenstein choosing to move forward with a treatment plan and the surgery that would give Brenda her life back. And that it did, with her step-son noting, “Doctor, you’ve given her a second chance (actually third counting the TBI / leg amputation) at life, and she is infinitely grateful,” in a heartfelt email. This situation is a testament to the power doctors hold and that going beyond what is presented on the surface, and doing diligent assessments before giving a prognosis makes all the difference—and when the matter at hand is life, well, that certainly ups the ante. While Brenda’s story is just one of countless instances in which Dr. Rosenstein has seemingly done the impossible, it’s an inspiring one that serves as a reminder to not give up on people and not to give up hope.
