I believe I also was a victim of Dr. Stefan Konasiewicz ("As St. Luke's reaped millions, surgeon racked up complaints," July 31). In 1999, I went to see him for neck pain that radiated down my arm, causing numbness and tingling in my hand and fingers. After a magnetic resonance image showed two bulging discs, Dr. Konasiewicz suggested surgery.
I had the surgery, and I completed physical therapy. Dr. Konasiewicz told me the surgery went great and that I should be totally fine. Two years later, I found myself back in his office with the same symptoms. He informed me it could not possibly be from my neck, that it must be something else. He ordered an electromyogram, or EMG. That showed I needed surgery on my elbow for ulnar nerve damage. I trusted him again, and surgery was done. Now after physical therapy, I experience even more pain.
My therapist faxed a report to Dr. Konasiewicz, stating I was having problems. I watched her fax it. While I was at my appointment with Dr. Konasiewicz, I asked him if he read her report, and he said he never received it. However, when he left the room for a moment, I looked in my file and it was right on top. The man intimidated me, so I said nothing. He then yelled at me, telling me to go back to work.
I have since seen many doctors and had many tests done, including computed tomography scans, epidurals, another MRI and myelograms. The consensus is that I need to learn to live in pain. Even the Mayo Clinic won't touch me. I'm too "complicated," doctors there suggested. The plate in my neck is crooked, and there is a screw veering into my vertebrae. I get to live like this.
Darcie Kilsdonk
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Duluth
