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as told by Barbara Saiz
 My nine-year-old son, Andrew (Drew) Saiz, spent nine days in the hospital in the summer of 2005 for osteomyelitis (bone infection) in his hip. Because of the difficulty in finding what was causing Drew’s pain, he ended up having several MRIs, a bone scan and several surgeries. Many doctors, nurses and staff were involved in his care on the pediatric unit and the hospital became a very scary place for Drew.
The care he received from all of the staff of the Pediatrics unit of the hospital was outstanding and we are very grateful to everyone involved in his care; however, with shift changes, doctor rotations and the length of time he spent in the hospital, there were many people involved in his care and many new faces to get used to. The staff who cared for Drew during his hospital stay seemed to change frequently, except for a medical student named George Gendy.
George was the one person on the team caring for Drew who was there every day. Because of that, he became a positive and constant part of this very traumatic and hectic time for our family.
During most of his hospital stay, Drew was in a great deal of pain and was unable to sleep well. This caused him to have a lot of anxiety about all the examinations, procedures and surgeries he experienced. While most of the visits from the doctors brought tears and anxiety, George was always able to get him to smile and feel a little less anxious. To Drew, George wasn’t just a medical student learning to become a doctor, he WAS a doctor who cared for him and helped him feel better. His caring manner and positive attitude were a source of great comfort for Drew and our entire family. George was a very valuable part of Drew’s care team and made a huge difference in his recovery.
Gundersen Lutheran is a teaching facility and because of that, there are many medical students, nursing students, residents and interns who are a part of the care for many patients. For some, these students can be a nuisance or an imposition.
In our situation, a medical student was a key part of our son’s treatment and recovery process. We will never forget George–he was a bright star in an otherwise difficult situation. We wish him the best in his medical career and know that his future patients will be in good hands.
EDITOR’S NOTE: George Gendy was a third-year medical student when he did his pediatrics rotation at Gundersen Lutheran in the summer of 2005. George is now a fourth-year medical student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. |