In Dr Mont's defense

[Guest guest]

Whoa! Let's put on the brakes here. It sounds to me like you are

looking for a reason to eliminate Dr Mont from your list of options.

If so, you aren't doing yourself a favor. You are going to cut

yourself out of a great opportunity.

If you would read posts in the past about my dear doctor, you will

find words to describe him like " humble " , " compassionate " and " caring "

I never met a better surgeon who cared more and I talked with 4 in my

search and totaled six after the surgery. Dr Mont doesn't put much

stock in these websites, he personally doesn't have time. The guy is

with his patients daily either on rounds or in the clinic until late

at night.

In his office, being there for my " follow-ups " I've observed young

and old, fit and feeble, there to be looked at by Dr Mont. I've

watched him walk quickly into his office (a little hovel at the end

of the hall) only to be ambushed by one or more of his colleagues

checking and double checking opinions on special cases. On one visit,

I could see him from my chair in the exam room where I waited for

nearly two hours for one particular follow up.

Was it because he didn't care? No, it was because he cared enough to

give each patient he saw the time that they wanted with him. Not the

2-10 minutes his secretary put between appointments. He gave each one

enough of his time to answer their questions and set their minds at

ease and, give them the attention they deserved.

By the way, the main reason that he kept me waiting was because of a

young man who managed to get an on the spot appointment and I'll

grant you needed the attention more than me.

When Dr Mont did get to me, he didn't have one foot heading for the

door. I felt the time was all for me and my condition. As if I was

the only patient he would be seeing all day.

If Tom has a problem with his recovery and nothing is showing up on

the xray, then he should do like some of us who have pushed it too

hard or expected too much too soon.

I had this condition for a long time before my surgery so it should

be expected that I'm going to ache for quite some time afterward. I

got news for you...it's been two years plus and I still find muscles

that ache after I've pushed the envelope. But no, my hip is not

coming apart, I'm just aware of the difference between muscle and

joint pain (I have an elbow with the latter).

Patience guys it may take time. Anyone who claims otherwise

sells " snake oil " .

Captain Amaze_O (Still sore at times since 12-17-01 surgery at Sinai

with Dr Mont)

> > Jim,

> > Thanks for your concerns. Yes I did speak to Dr Mont last

Tuesday.

> I

> > got off the phone very distraught. He said people from this site

> > called him and told him about my post asking whether or not other

> > hippies have had the same pain I'm having. So he was upset with me

> and

> > throughout the call he kept quoting phrases from the post. The

> problem

> > was he quoted people who had responded to my post. He said I had

> > complained about " shin splints " , which I hadn't. That was from

Tug's

> > post in answer to mine. So I'm assuming someone gave Dr Mont a

copy

> of

> > my surfacehippy post. He must have had it in front of him and

> doesn't

> > understand the format on the site so he thought all of the posts

> after

> > mine where by me. He wasn't real happy to hear from me. Bottom

line

> is

> > he said he can't help unless he sees me so I may have to go back

to

> > Baltimore for an office visit.

> > I've been doing physio religiously. They're a great group at

the

> > place I go. Very helpful. The muscles have come back but the deep

> hip

> > pain hasn't stopped, in fact it's gotten worse. This week I'm

> starting

> > warm water therapy in a pool.

> > I live in San Francisco so in the meantime I'm going to see my

> local

> > OS and see if he has any ideas what's causing this pain. He only

> does

> > THR's but is very supportive. I'm also going to e-mail Dr DeSmet.

He

> > was the only one who actually put a name to my arthritis

(narrowing

> of

> > the medial wall). I contacted him when I thought I was going to be

> > denied by insurance. Something has to be done. The pain is worse

> and

> > comes on quicker than before the surgery. It started at 6 weeks

> when I

> > started 50% weight bearing and hasn't improved in the 5 weeks

since

> > then. I just keep thinking why did I fight so hard for a year to

get

> > the approval when the surgery turns out worse than before. I'm at

> > wit's end. Thank God for the support my family is giving me.

> >

> > Tom in San Francisco

> > Mont C+ 10/29/03

> >

> >

> >