Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Waiting for a story that could potentially decimate my life

Kate O'Reilley, MD
Physician
December 6, 2012
Share
Tweet
Share

Waking before dawn, I scurry into the study.  Sitting in front of the computer, I wiggle the mouse, bringing the screen to life.  Hesitantly, I call up the site for the major local newspaper.  Since being notified by my attorneys one week prior that a reporter was hunting me down for comment, I am on heightened alert.  Every day spent awaiting a story that could potentially decimate my life.

The home page of the website flashes on the screen.  Reading the headlines, terror engulfs me.  “Anesthesiologist defends practices that defy guidelines.”  It’s me!  That doctor is me!  I can barely read the words.  My heart bounds within my chest and my hands shake violently.  The story is biased, one-sided, and inaccurate.  Worse, it is on display for the world to see.

The clock moves forward as my world spins.  I can’t go to work.  In the darkness, I sit on the stairs and phone my surgeon.  So unsteady are my fingers, it takes several attempts to locate Dr. X in my contacts list.  The phone rings and goes to her voicemail.

“Hi X, this is Kate.  Call me immediately.”

Time relentlessly marches forward, and I am forced to prepare to face the world.  In the bathroom, I attempt to put in my contact lenses.  Rattled, it takes every ounce of focus to bring the lens to my eye.  From the other room, my phone rings, and I rush to answer it.

“Kate, what’s wrong?” asks Dr. X.

My mouth goes dry, and the air in my lungs disappears.  I am incoherent.

“The paper.  They wrote about the lawsuit and me.  It’s awful.  They make me look like a monster.  Our patients — they might see it.  X, I can’t bring you into this.  I will call the office and get someone else to do your anesthesia today.  I can’t allow you or your practice to be tainted.”

“Listen here, Kate.  I don’t give a shit about what some reporter writes.  You are a great anesthesiologist.  I don’t want someone else to do my cases today.  You’re my girl, and if anybody says anything, they will have to answer to me.  If a patient has a problem with you, we’ll cancel their case.”

I should be grateful for X’s faith in me, but her directive is a noose around my already constricting throat.

On my drive into work, I call my dad.  I try to speak, but cannot.  Somehow, I manage to tell him about the story.  He tells me he’ll call me back.

Five minutes later, my father returns the call.

“I just read the article,” he says flatly.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Dad, what am I going to do?”

“Did you say those things?” he asks.  “Those things they quote, did you say that?”

Speeding down the road, oblivious to the motorists on the freeway, I answer.

“Yeah, I did.  I said those things in my deposition.  But they took my words out of context.  They twisted them around.  I would never say anything as cruel as they portray.  That article makes me look like a stupid, heartless, reckless bitch.”

I can hear my father inhale.  He pauses on the line, and then he says the words that shatter me.

“Yeah, honey, you’re right.  They do.”

Kate O’Reilley is an anesthesiologist who blogs at katevsworld.

Prev

Why the iPad Mini is the tablet physicians have been waiting for

December 6, 2012 Kevin 2
…
Next

Patients don't care what you know until they know that you care

December 6, 2012 Kevin 7
…

Tagged as: Mainstream media, Malpractice, Specialist

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Why the iPad Mini is the tablet physicians have been waiting for
Next Post >
Patients don't care what you know until they know that you care

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Kate O'Reilley, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Cancelling surgery: When the show can’t go on

    Kate O'Reilley, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    How a drug addicted scrub tech changed my life forever

    Kate O'Reilley, MD

More in Physician

  • Medicalizing burnout misses the real problem

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

    Patrick Hudson, MD
  • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

    Howard Smith, MD
  • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

    Kara Pepper, MD
  • How doctors took back control from hospital executives

    Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How robotics are reshaping the future of vascular procedures

      David Fischel | Conditions
    • Medicalizing burnout misses the real problem

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How the shingles vaccine could help prevent dementia

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How to survive a broken health care system without losing yourself [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 2 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • How robotics are reshaping the future of vascular procedures

      David Fischel | Conditions
    • Medicalizing burnout misses the real problem

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • How the shingles vaccine could help prevent dementia

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
    • How to survive a broken health care system without losing yourself [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Waiting for a story that could potentially decimate my life
2 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...