<p>"On Tuesday morning, a brain surgeon in Birmingham, Ala., walked six miles through a severe snow storm to save a patient’s life.</p>
<p>Dr. Zenko Hrynkiw, Trinity Medical Center’s only neurosurgeon, had just finished surgery at a neighboring hospital when Steve Davis, the charge nurse at Trinity’s neuro intensive care unit, called him with an emergency, AL.com reported. Hrynkiw attempted to drive to the hospital, but roadblocks prevented him from getting far…</p>
<p>“I called him again and he said, ‘I’m not getting anywhere, I’m walking,’” Davis told HuffPost.</p>
<p>He estimates that it took Hrynkiw about five hours to get to Trinity. At around 12:30 p.m., the surgeon called again. “I’m walking in the door,” Hrynkiw said. “Where’s the patient?”,</p>
<p>“Without the surgery, the patient would have most likely died,” Davis told AL.com."</p>
<p>~snipped~</p>
<p>The doctor is now wondering what all the fuss is about. He says any good doctor would have done the same. Still…it’s impressive.</p>
<p>I heard that on our news - it’s one of those stories that gives you hope for this world. I sure prefer when the news covers those stories rather than many of the others they choose - esp those who mainly “complain” about this, that, or the other.</p>
<p>I also found myself wishing someone had been able to give him a ride on a 4 wheeler or something.</p>
<p>Love the story! In our local news, it’s not just complaining about this or that. I wouldn’t mind that as much.They craved for crimes, accidents, injuries. Everyday.There’s something morbid. They make them centerpeice of their newshour, not just report for the benefit of listeners.</p>
<p>What a great story! I looked him up, since his name is interesting and I was wondering if he was a young surgeon and maybe originally came from Poland or some other snowy spot - nope, he did his training in Chicago! He also looks to be in his mid-sixties, what a trooper.</p>
<p>I know what Lerkin means. I get the feeling that we have a very entitled generation that some of us raised, and it hurts when I see that kind of evidence. </p>
<p>Around here, too many doctors would not show up for things if it inconvenienced them. I’ve been raging some battles with some for an issue this summer, and the attitudes appall me. There is a sense of entitlement that has always been there, but it seems more pervasive and “out there” with young people that is frightening. </p>
<p>This article should be twitted to all idiots at University of IL.
Twitted —> Retweeted</p>
<p>
+1!! This generation didn’t just have a meeting and decide to be the “entitled-mindset” generation. </p>
<p>
If this is present before the “young people”, then why are the “young people” to blame. If this is seen in doctors (who are above the age range of 18-26), why is that age range persecuted? And if this entitlement of more “pervasive” and “out there”, has anyone thought that the transparency social media provides amplifies this perceived entitlement?</p>
<p>"Not so fast to jump on younger generation. Didn’t we raise them to be?</p>
<p>Off topic, how do you upload the avatar?"</p>
<p>Yes, we did. :(</p>
<p>Click on your name, go to the Settings Wheel on the top right of page, click on Preferences, then in the left column is a Change Picture link (or says something like that)</p>
<p>Getting back to the article… I don’t think we should be surprised by what that doctor did. To become a doctor in US, especially specializing in something like surgery, one has to work really hard and jump through many hoops. You don’t do it for money, you do it because you are genuinely interested in helping patients. </p>
<p>The updated story reports that cell phone service was fading in and out, the hospital wasn’t positive that the hero doctor was trying to walk, and people were looking for the doctor on 4WDs but didn’t find him (in case you wondered, like I did, why nobody went and fetched him). </p>
<p>Also in the HuffPo story, the comments include one from his proud daughter, being proud of her hero dad. Don’t read the comments, though, unless you have a strong stomach. I don’t know why I even started reading the comments, but I quickly stopped when I got to the one that said the doctor walked for five hours in a snowstorm because he’s greedy. Yeah, sure, walking five hours in a snowstorm is a great example of greed and entitlement.</p>
<p>"I don’t know why I even started reading the comments, but I quickly stopped when I got to the one that said the doctor walked for five hours in a snowstorm because he’s greedy. "</p>
<p>Oh my. That’s just crazy. </p>
<p>I would rather think that he’s a good person who wouldn’t be able to live with himself knowing that he hadn’t made the effort to save a human life. </p>
<p>Besides, I highly doubt the doctor even asked, “does the guy have insurance?” (which, BTW, often doesn’t pay all that much for surgeries these days!)</p>
<p>“You don’t do it for money, you do it because you are genuinely interested in helping patients.”</p>
<p>Right! And when you know that you’re the only neurosurgeon at the hospital, you take a lot of personal responsibility in that role. </p>
<p>I’m one who thinks <em>some</em> surgeons are in fact greedy and entitled. But jeez, stupid commenter on HuffPo site, try to have a little common sense. This guy walked for five hours in a snowstorm. Most people wouldn’t have done that. Most doctors, I imagine, wouldn’t have done it. (Five hours. In a snowstorm.) But this doctor did. Can’t we recognize him for dedication above and beyond that may have saved someone’s life?</p>
<p>About two hours, he says. Hope you all listened to the audio interview- amazing. He was mostly in text contact. He says, “Much ado about nothing.”
I did have a surgeon come through a blizzard, save my life… not nearly as dramatic a story. </p>
<p>I agree with the surgeon, it’s not such a big deal. I’d do it in a heartbeat, so would you. Seems like a sad commentary that a generous gesture of goodwill is considered extraordinary, instead of the norm.</p>
<p>The surgeons have to complete 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school and minimum 5 years of residency. Many specialized surgeons also have to complete fellowships before they can become licensed physicians. All the while making tough choices regarding their personal lives (and amassing high amounts of [non-dischargeable] debt). </p>
<p>You’ve stated before that you think many specialists are overpaid, but I don’t think you realize all the hard work and sacrifice one must endure to become a doctor in US. The personal sacrifice continues after graduation too. If the patient needs them, it does not matter that they have a day off or they have a family emergency. The stop doing whatever they are doing and rush to the hospital. There is a reason why physicians have high salaries. </p>
<p>The comment sections of most news web sites tends to attract a lot of trollish, hypercynical, or nasty people, so responses of that nature should be expected.</p>