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Joseph Arditti - Professor of Biology Emeritus |
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Unlike most people I was not scared by the words “prostate
cancer” because the biopsy indicated (erroneously as it turned out) that the
cancerous cells were few and limited to one area of my gland. Also, I read that
survival rates are very high when prostate cancer is diagnosed early. However, I
was afraid of the operation because of my very low tolerance to pain. On meeting
Dr. David K. Ornstein I did not hesitate to talk about my fears. He assured me
that the prostatectomy would be painless and that there would be no
post-operation pain. I did not believe him (or any other physician who promises
that there will be no pain), but listened attentively to his description of the
procedure. Dr. Ornstein’s estimate was that the operation (with the Da
Vinci Robot) would take three hours. In giving his estimate Dr. Ornstein was
not aware of problems which would be caused by internal scars caused by an
emergency appendectomy I underwent in the Netherlands in 1974. The operation
required four hours due to the scars and the fact that the cancer was more
widely spread than indicated by the biopsy.
Despite the unexpected difficulties I had no pain on
waking up and at any time after that. I attribute this to Dr. Ornstein’s
expertise as a surgeon. The external scars left by the Da Vici Robot (I am sure
that if he could see the robot named after him Leonardo Da Vinci would be
impressed but also upset for not designing this marvel himself) were minimal,
painless and healed quickly. This is also due to Dr. Ornstein’s deft hands. Dr.
Ornstein came to visit me not long after the operation and I had to sheepishly
admit that he was fight: There was no pain. I had none ever and did not need to
take any of the pain pills Dr. Ornstein prescribed probably more to please me
that due to a real likelihood of pain. He did not rub it in.
Wearing a
catheter was no fun, but not a problem either especially since I had to have it
for only six days. My period of bothersome incontinence was short, a fact I
attribute to Dr.Ornstein’s acumen as a surgeon. A day or two after the
operation Dr.Ornstein called me with the information that the cancer was more
wide spread within the prostate gland than indicated by the biopsy but that it
was caught on time and fully removed by him. This was good news.
Dr.
Ornstein’s demeanor is serious, courteous and friendly. It is a pleasure to deal
with him. His staff is polite, compassionate, efficient and tolerant of a
forgetful old man like me. The nurses who took care of me in the hospital were
kind, attentive and excellent.
Altogether I cannot think of enough superlatives to describe
Dr. Ornstein, I would recommend him very highly as a urologist in general and a
prostate surgeon in particular.
Joseph Arditti
Professor of Biology Emeritus
University
of California, Irvine
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