After all, the hours are long (24+ hours at a time), the pay is not wonderful (compared to private practice), the county system is challenging (budget cuts and furlough days), and the patients are not always the most pleasant or the most grateful.
I became a trauma surgeon because I wanted to help people. While I am able to help people through their injuries and see them discharged to home or to rehab, we don't always know what happens to them.
One of our patients recently returned for a visit - here is his story.
"Gus" lost both legs after an accident 16 years ago. He was near death and spent months at the Cook County Trauma Unit before he was transferred to rehab. Gus could have spent the rest of his life feeling sorry for the loss of his legs, but he decided to use his disability to help others. He founded Kostas Z Foundation to help others with disabilities. Some of the things he has done include:
- Peer Visitor program at Rehab Institute to talk to newly disabled patients
- Produced "Easy Access Chicago Guide" for disabled visitors to Chicago
- Midwest Wheelchair Sport & Social Club
- Diveheart Foundation
- International assistance for the disabled in Greece and Brazil
For more information about Gus' foundation, visit http://www.kostasz.org/
Disclaimer - for those of you concerned about HIPPA (aren't we all?) - even though the vague patient information occurred 16 years ago and is essentially public knowledge, I did obtain the patient's permission and approval of this post.
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