A Dedicated Team at The Mount Sinai Hospital Gets Heart Patient Back on His Feet and Playing Piano

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Stories of Excellence

Ron Trotta,  a three-time world champion ragtime piano player and a meteorologist who produced weather for ABC’s World News Tonight and Good Morning America, was beset by a series of medical problems, starting with an abscessed tooth in April 2020, which led to a serious infection that spread throughout his bloodstream.  Ron then suffered a stroke with a brain bleed, and his doctors at a another hospital advised his partner, Elly McGuire, in mid-June to prepare for the worst. Ron’s aortic valve was leaking badly because of the infection, and the doctors felt that Ron was too weak to survive surgery.

Two months later, with the help of a friend, Gina LaRocca, MD, Elly was able to get Ron transferred to The Mount Sinai Hospital. There Elly and Ron met with Paul Stelzer, MD, who brought 40 years of experience with more than 3,000 aortic valve operations to Ron’s bedside. Ron and Dr. Stelzer hit it off immediately since both sing and play piano. More important, Dr. Stelzer was struck by Ron’s attitude. “His willpower convinced me to go ahead—his spunk, and his sense of humor,” Dr. Stelzer said. And Elly knew immediately that they had found the right doctor. “I let out this sigh of relief. This is the nicest man in the world,” she said.

One week later, Ron had his surgery. Ron made amazing progress over the next month, and was soon playing the piano and trying to get back into singing as part of his rehab.

Elly and Ron are highly grateful to everyone who assisted in Ron’s recovery, but Elly wrote to single out a few of the staff at The Mount Sinai Hospital for special recognition:

Madison Fisher, LMSW. Why Madison? Every time she came in to Ron’s room she was not only helpful, but so upbeat and such a ray of light. Madison was available by phone at any hour of the day and stopped by to check in on Ron (and me!) whenever she was working at the hospital. Madison added to Ron’s super positive experience at Mount Sinai. Yay Madison!

Nehal Patel, PT. Nehal was amazing. She was so inspirational and highly motivating. Nehal was instrumental in getting Ron to walk again. Nehal even helped in the design of a special wheelchair to accommodate Ron’s bedsores from before he came to Mount Sinai. The wheelchair was motorized, and Ron could independently tilt his chair back and forth to shift his weight every 20 minutes, to aid in the healing of the bedsores and prevent them from getting worse. Nehal was truly dedicated to Ron’s recovery.

Roderick Huger, Patient Care Associate, Rehabilitation. He was always ready with a smile and eager to help. And always had a kind, encouraging word. A gentle giant who made Ron’s stay and recovery journey just that much more special.

Caroline Conte, OT. Caroline was kind, caring, and so helpful in getting Ron ready to tackle everyday tasks. From learning how to get dressed and take a shower to regaining his balance, Ron was helped every step of the way by Caroline—just another Mount Sinai angel helping Ron get home and become independent. Caroline would give Ron hand exercises, especially for his paralyzed left hand, even accompanying Ron to one of the well-hidden pianos in the rehab area so he could exercise his hands and start to try and play piano again.

Patient Services. When I needed to make sure that Ron was going to have weekend physical therapy to not lose a day in the momentum of his gaining strength and mobility, I could always count on them to not only take my call, but with a cheery dispositions. I felt like I was part of the Mount Sinai family.  As a family member and caregiver, that certainly meant a lot.

Elly sums it up this way, “After 148 days in the hospital, these folks made such a difference in Ron’s life—we think they deserve a Story of Excellence!”

Elly McGuire, Ron Trotta, Paul Stelzer, MD

 

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Patient Expresses Thanks for ‘Strength, Support, and Safety’

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Stories of Excellence

Amelia Dass moved to New York City from Perth, Australia, in 2015 at age 26 and was enjoying a promising career as an architect when she developed unrelenting seizures. She was  referred to The Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was put under the care of a skilled team of epilepsy specialists, including Madeline Fields, MD; Lara Marcuse, MD; Ji Yeoun Yoo, MD; and Nathalie Jette, MD. Diagnosed with new onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE), Amy spent three months in the Mount Sinai Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, two of those in a coma.

According to Dr. Yoo, NORSE is a life-threatening condition in which a healthy person with no history of seizures begins having them, and within days the activity progresses to status epilepticus (SE). SE is a state in which a person has one prolonged seizure or a cluster of seizures without recovery time in between.

Amy was given numerous anti-seizure medications, steroids and other immune therapies, as well as placed on the ketogenic diet  to control the seizures. However, this did not result in a total cessation of her seizures. She then underwent a procedure called vagus nerve stimulation, which prevents seizures by sending regular, mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain. Amelia’s seizures finally stopped, and she was on the road to recovery.  Altogether she spent almost six months at Mount Sinai. Her parents traveled to New York from Australia and were by Amelia’s side the entire time. She returned home with them in November 2018 to undergo rehabilitation.

“Every day the team of doctors took time to explain her status to me as I sat there and waited anxiously for any little bit of information. When Amelia was in the ICU, I did not know whether she was ever going to wake up again,” says mom, Rozi.  “The nurses in every ward that she was in, went over and above their duties, and took time to get to know us, showed care and concern beyond our expectations. We are forever indebted to all of you at Mount Sinai.”

Amy designed a personal thank you card with heartfelt words of appreciation for the care she received. “A thank you doesn’t cut it,” she wrote, naming all the staff who took care of her, including Dr. Fields, Dr. Marcuse, and  Dr. Yoo; epilepsy fellows Bonnie Wong, MD, and  Nisali Gunawardane, MD;  EEG Technician Tsana Yu; and Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit attendings.

“Tsana would sit by my bedside through the night and whenever she was not on duty, and talk and sing to me while I was in the coma,” Amelia recalled her mom telling her. Calling the Mount Sinai team “rock stars,” Amelia also recognized ‘‘all the nurses who took time to know me,” adding, “I was so grateful to be surrounded by kindness and strong women.” She expressed special thanks to the staff for “crying and laughing” with her parents and partner and giving them “strength, support and safety.”

Amelia remains in Australia, making good progress, according to her mom. “We have her back, almost as good as new, and we are forever grateful to you all.  I personally could not have gotten through that difficult time without the kind words and support from the doctors and nurses. Your patient care really does not stop at the patient only, you made the family feel included and that is so important in Amelia’s recovery.”

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Flowers Help Lift Spirits and Raise Money for a Heartfelt Cause

Nov 20, 2020 | Community, Featured, Stories of Excellence

Elyse Meltzer, CPNP

Elyse Meltzer, CPNP, works in one of the Mount Sinai Health System’s Pediatrics School Based Health Centers. The clinic is located in a New York City public school in East Harlem, where she provides primary care for the students. She has also been involved for many years with the Mount Sinai Perinatal and Pediatric Bereavement Program, which offers bereavement services to families experiencing losses during pregnancy, infancy, or childhood.  The following is an excerpt of a letter that Elyse sent to colleagues about her plan to support the program in a brand new way during these unprecedented times.

“In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when we were all on ‘lockdown,’ and things were looking grimmer and grimmer, I found my salvation by taking walks, and running in Central Park.  As the typical New Yorker, I was forced to slow down, and something unexpected happened. I began to notice my surroundings and the little things I had been oblivious to for more than two decades as a resident of the Upper West Side.

Spring was rolling in, and along with it, an abundance of beautiful flowers were blooming just outside my front door, often in the most unexpected places.  I didn’t seek them out, but there seemed to be a magnetic force drawing me toward every flower in my path.  I started taking pictures with my iPhone, and before I knew it, I had amassed a huge spring floral collection.

I wanted to share these amazing photos with others, but how? One day while running, I sprouted the idea of showcasing them in a calendar that I would design from the heart.  Then I thought, how great would it be if I could share this with others while raising money for a cause that I’ve been dedicated to for the past fifteen years as a facilitator of the Mount Sinai Perinatal Bereavement Support Group.

I hope that in 2021, you will find the peace, beauty, and happiness I saw during these trying times with each month of the calendar.”

Learn more about the Perinatal Pediatric Bereavement Program here, and learn more about the fund-raiser here.

 

Brain Surgery Patient Is “Beyond Grateful” to Her Team

Nov 6, 2020 | Stories of Excellence

From left: Reade De Leacy, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiology and Director, Neurointerventional Spine Program; Garland-Marie Matias, RN; Candace Heffner, Practice Manager, Cerebrovascular Center; Angela Abreu, Administrative Assistant; and David Innocent, Surgical Coordinator.

Rita Rigano has high praise for the care she received at Mount Sinai after a disconcerting diagnosis.

In June 2020, Rita’s physician thought she might be suffering from an ocular migraine, and recommended that she undergo an MRI of her brain. No eye problem was discovered, but the MRI revealed something else: a brain aneurysm arising from her right internal carotid artery.

Rita consulted two specialists regarding next steps. The first surgeon she saw recommended surgery as soon as possible, certainly within six months. He said the aneurysm was just large enough to require surgery. The second surgeon said it was not quite large enough to require surgery and advised her to have another MRI in six months. Rita was disconcerted to get two polar opposite and firm opinions and sought out one more specialist. She was referred to the Neurosurgery Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital and consulted with Reade De Leacy, MD, Co-director of the Neuroendovascular Fellowship and Director of Neurointerventional Spine Services at the Cerebrovascular Center, Mount Sinai.

Dr. De Leacy recommended an initial diagnostic angiogram and then review of Rita’s case in the cerebrovascular multidisciplinary team meeting to determine the most appropriate and safe course of action. Rita liked that he didn’t rush into surgery as an option, but also didn’t rule it out. She went to the Stavros Niarchos Stroke Center at Mount Sinai Queens for her diagnostic angiogram.  Her case and imaging was subsequently reviewed by the cerebrovascular team, and the recommendation of the cerebrovascular group was to treat her aneurysm with a procedure called stent-assisted coiling. Also known as endovascular embolization, the procedure blocks blood flow into a brain aneurysm to prevent it from rupturing. Her procedure took place at The Mount Sinai Hospital in late August.

Rita wrote a note thanking her caregivers at The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Queens. She mentioned first names of more than a dozen staff members, including her intake nurses; ICU nurses; office and food service staff; and physicians Cappi Lay, MD, Co-Director of the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, and Raghav Bansal, MD. “Every single person that I dealt with—from scheduling, to COVID-19 testers, to food service—was professional, patient, and caring,” she wrote. “I am beyond grateful. Thank you for building an organization that clearly supports and rewards this kind of excellence in patient care.”

She had special words of praise for Dr. De Leacy:

“Dr. De Leacy is an amazing physician. He explained everything to me, answered questions patiently, and never made me feel rushed. He was looking to find the right treatment for my situation. He is skilled at this procedure, and seems to be held in high esteem by his colleagues. I always felt that I was in very good hands. Can you really say that having brain surgery was a terrific experience? Sounds strange, but it’s true!”

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Making Halloween Safe and Celebratory for Youngest Patients at The Mount Sinai Hospital

Nov 6, 2020 | Stories of Excellence

Alex Jamison, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, recently helped the pediatric population of Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital celebrate Halloween 2020 in a safe and fun way. After carefully selecting a wide variety of brand-new costumes and accessories for patients of all ages, she set up a Halloween pop-up shop in the Child Life Zone. Patients and families safely “shopped” from their bedsides, by browsing through Alex’s photos of the costumes on an iPad. She also developed Halloween themed activity stations for a socially distanced gathering in The Child Life Zone so young patients could show off their costumes and celebrate the spirit of the holiday. In addition, Alex helped to organize reverse trick or treating and a mobile craft cart, giving hospital staff the opportunity to bring treats and activities to patients who were unable to leave their rooms.

“Just because a patient is in the hospital on a holiday doesn’t mean they should miss out on celebrating,” Alex says. “Hosting parties in the Child Life Zone for patients and families to recognize special days helps to normalize the hospital experience, and hopefully helps create fun memories!  It was such fun to see patients, families and staff dressed up in costumes smiling, laughing and enjoying the festivities.”

According to Cheryl Strauss, CCLS, Child Life Specialist III, Alex brings clinical skill and enthusiasm to all of her interactions with pediatric patients and families in the Child Life Zone and on the inpatient units. “We are very fortunate to have her as a member of our Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy team,” she says, “sharing her creativity and passion with patients, families, and hospital staff.”

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Young Stroke Patient Thanks a Skilled Mount Sinai Occupational Therapist With Calming Presence

Nov 6, 2020 | Stories of Excellence

With the help of dedicated Mount Sinai staff—including a creative and calm occupational therapist—patient Meaghan Onofrey has made a smooth transition to life after a stroke.

On December 13, 2019, 40-year-old Meaghan was out for a run in Riverside Park. She remembers needing to suddenly stop, but after that, she has no recollection of the events that took place. According to her husband, Nick, she had collapsed and crawled to a bench, and a passerby called 911. Meaghan was taken in an ambulance to Mount Sinai Morningside, where it was discovered that she was having a stroke. She was transferred to The Mount Sinai Hospital, where she underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from her brain.

Meaghan spent four months at Mount Sinai, initially in the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit and then in Rehabilitation. Meaghan and Nick praise the medical and rehabilitation teams for their skilled and compassionate work, but have special words of appreciation for the care provided by Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation Specialist Andrea Johnston. Meaghan and Nick laughingly say that Andrea “adopted” them, taking them under her wing, especially during Meaghan’s transition to home, which happened earlier than expected when the Rehabilitation Unit was converted into a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit.

“Andrea went above and beyond,” Meaghan says. “She made sure we had every piece of equipment we needed for home care and Meaghan’s activities of daily living,” adds Nick.  “She came to our house and did a walk-through so we had guidance on how to adapt our environment to align with Meaghan’s needs. She even trained me on how to change Meaghan’s tracheotomy tube, a scary endeavor, to be honest.” Meaghan and Nick speak with one voice when they say Andrea “humanizes people.” “And nothing rattles her, she is Zen-like and is such a calming presence,” Meaghan says. “We joke that we are ‘summoning our inner Andrea.'”

Debra Zeitlin, Rehabilitation Manager at The Mount Sinai Hospital, concurs with Meaghan’s and Nick’s praise.  “Andrea is an amazing occupational therapist. She is very empathetic and goes the extra mile  for her patients. For example she completes community re-entry with her patients and re-orients them to their environment, which makes discharge and the return to home much more soothing for patients.  She is extremely creative in her work and provides great guidance and ideas to her whole team. She is a great mentor to newly graduated occupational therapists. The thing I admire the most about her: She always gives more than 100 percent and is very consistent in her work and embodies all of Mount Sinai’s core values.”

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