“Where’s the Depeche Mode?”

by Kaushal N. Bhatt, M.D. and Victoria Callahan, PA-C.

We have operated on this female patient many times. Every few months there is some mechanical issue that arises with her pain pump to no fault of hers. Unfortunately, mechanical devices, no matter how effective they are supposed to be at helping patients, fail at some point or the other. For this patient, it typically involves repositioning it to fit it properly without causing her too much discomfort. She is quite literally in so much pain, chronically, that pain medication is delivered directly next to her spinal cord via pain pump. Nonetheless, every encounter that our team has had with her is quite memorable. She recalls each individual’s name, office, and surgery members, cracks jokes, and puts a smile on each person’s face.

The ability to care for our patients is an honor and privilege.

Last week as she was brought into the operating room for yet another repositioning of her pump, she promptly asked the anesthesiologist, “I know what you have to do, but where’s the Depeche Mode?” At the end of a 14 hour day, 9 surgeries later, this patient had the power to put a smile on everyone’s faces and reinvigorate our energy. We obliged and jammed out to some Depeche Mode during her procedure.

Patients often think of us as the ones that render this amazing medical care and look to us for answers/solutions regarding their health; however, simply put, the patients are the driving force. The ability to care for our patients is an honor and privilege. That’s what makes us smile.