The Checkup with Doctor Mike - How My Nurse (& Work Mom) Became My Patient

Episode Date: January 24, 2024

Ginny Kaltenbach is not just any nurse, but my nurse, having working alongside me for the last 10 years in New Jersey. Ginny and I are great friends and coworkers, but we developed a new type of relationship this last year where Ginny actually became one of my patients. You see, Ginny was suffering from debilitating pain in her back, and after hearing her side of the story, I realized I wasn't happy with her treatment plan. So, I made Ginny book an appointment with me so we could get to the bottom of her pain. This turned out to be an excellent decision for many reasons detailed in this episode. We don't just talk about Ginny's health though, but also do a deep dive into our relationship and Ginny's opinions on the healthcare system as a nurse who has seen it all, and then some, in over 40 years on the front lines. 00:00 Intro01:10 Our First Meeting / Fight04:50 How Ginny Started14:05 What Makes Doctors Special19:31 What Nurses Actually Do24:36 Memories Of Me31:30 Flirting With Doctors33:25 Ginny Going Viral35:18 Ginny’s Injury52:10 Ginny’s Retirement / My Boxing54:48 Advice For Nurses Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Artwork by Caroline Weigum

I couldn't tell if you hated me or you liked me. On the beginning, I didn't like it at all. Everybody I don't like. It's like, let me see what you're made of first before I make my decision. That's how I look at it because we're there to protect a patient from you guys. Virginia Carltonback is a nurse with nearly 50 years of medical experience both in hospital and outpatient. Over the last year, she began to have debilitating back pain that limited her ability to deliver the stellar care she was known for the last half. century. You may have seen Ginny in my Day in the Life videos, given that she also happens to be

the nurse that I've worked with for the last decade. So when I found out that she was in pain, not being helped by doctors, and was ready to go for surgery, I knew I had to step in and figure out what was going on. This intimate conversation will cover the decade-long journey while we work together, the nursing profession, and her horrendous experience dealing with doctors who apparently forgot their oath to help their patients. I hope you're not only able to learn what to do if you're ever in the same situation, but also learn what an amazing human being and nurse, Ginny truly is. Without further ado, let's get started with the checkup podcast. Ginny, 10 years has culminated into this moment. It's been 10 years. Isn't that crazy?

Are you sure about that? I met you. I remember exactly when I met you. June 2014. Oh, wow. Yes. And it's about to be January 2024. Wow. So it's about our 10-year anniversary. Isn't that incredible? Time falls. Do you remember the first time you met me? No. No?

It wasn't memorable. Well, no, I remember I heard about you coming in. This Dr. Roshowski has been with the Philippine Miss Universe and you've been on the red carpet and you were in Atlantic City. Wait, hold on. Did that happen then yet? No, you're already in the future. Oh, okay.

Well, that's, okay. So that happened after. Yeah. So, and then I really, Diana is the one that told me, the administrative assistant told me about, hey, have you talked to my guy? And I go, no, because you were mostly with the third year, Grace, in the beginning. And I go, I don't care.

See what Grace thinks. And Grace was so shy. She was, like, worried about being with you. And she's lovely, and she's a brainiac. And she came up and she was worried how it was going to be with Mr. popularity. Yeah, that's right, because Dr. Grace Charles was my senior at the time. Yes, yes.

And she heard that I might be on my phone way too much. And she was worried about working with me, so she sought out your advice. What did you tell her? I told her, don't let him get away with anything. What else could I say? You've got to be a doctor. You've got to learn here. But you did.

And she reported back to me how you were also. Did she say anything good, bad? Yeah, she said, Jim, he knows his stuff. I go, really? Okay, we'll see how that goes. You know, the only argument I ever had in the office with the staff member was with you? Isn't that funny? I had to challenge you. Of course.

But then you sort of became my work mom. Yeah. Yeah. I remember the argument because I asked to order an EKG because my patient's potassium levels were high. And you were like, why are you getting an EKG? We're busy. And I'm like, but we need the EKG. And you're like, you don't know anything.

You're a resident. I said that? Yeah, you were feisty. Oh, but what did he come in for? Not for that. It wasn't for that. That's why. You're like, he doesn't have chest pain.

And I'm like, but I'm not getting a heart attack EKG. I'm getting something else. Yeah. I challenged you because it was like you're in for something else and now you want EKG. What is the reason? And I remember, you know who calmed me down during that moment? No, you were really mad at me?

No, I was just like we were getting into a screaming match. No, I don't remember that at all or Michael. Yeah, you're like, I'm not getting it. I'm like, I'm telling you to get it. I'm glad you didn't tell this in front of Joe. Joe is the one who calmed me down. Joe Tribuno, Dr. Joe Tribuna, is our residency director. He heard our argument.

He walks over and he goes, Michael, shh, it's okay. It's just Ginny. It's okay. And like, but I need the E.K. He goes, it's okay. It's just Ginny. That's fair. But you got your darn EKG.

I got the EKG and the EKG was normal. So everything worked out. Hey, Bear. So, duh. I was right. Look at Bear coming and say hi to you. Yeah. Hi, Beer.

I can't believe this is your first time eating bear Well I wasn't around when you brought him in I wanted you to meet him from the very beginning When he was a pup I brought him in during a Saturday Yeah I wasn't working So No I would I didn't know I was want to meet bear

You always had the comfy schedule Oh yeah right How long have you been working at the hospital I've been with Overlook Hospital for 38 years I think 38 years Yes Ginny that's longer than I've been alive

I know That's longer than both No, it's not longer than both. It's a very long time. It's a lifetime. Plus, before that, I worked somewhere else. I was in Rhode Island, Colorado, so. So how many years have you been a nurse practicing?

Like 46, 47 years. 47 years. Yes. So you have wisdom to share. Wisdom? Yeah. Yeah, right. What's your biggest takeaway from being a nurse for almost half a century?

I'm tired. Destroyed my back and I'm tired. I love my patience. I gave them all I got, every one of them. on the floors. I worked so many years on the floors, and then I came to family practice in 1989. When I was born. Isn't that interesting?

What made you want to switch off the floors to primary care to a clinic setting? I was getting very tired. It was very tiring. It was hard. There was, it was, I've been doing it for like about, well, maybe 10 years before I got there. Maybe not even. around there and then a friend of mine worked there and she goes oh jim you'll love family practice you love the residents i didn't even know about family practice at the hospital but i did went into dr susy k one of our docs and dr tersh murdock and i go oh they're family practice so i go let's see how that goes so i've been there ever since what made you stay there for so long like

most people move on you even in the past had multiple places i know i found that was kind of weird too but I think I just loved the residents coming and going. You get to meet people every new year. You got a new crop of residence. I just love the attendings that I worked with. And it was really family home-orientated practice, I believe, and kept me there. I found love, got married, had a baby, got divorce.

Many of those doctors went to my wedding, many of the attendings. It was just family-oriented. we would have Christmas parties every year at somebody's house and it was always fun and parties throughout the year of celebrations and Dr. Joel Chibune is the head macho and so is Susie K. And you can't get anybody better than those two. Yeah. When I came there, I did my first look, which is when you're still a student and you spend a day with the residents and the attendings.

I was like, wow, this place on paper sounds like a family. But then in person, they also act like their family. It was such a supportive environment that I've never seen. And I bounced around from hospital to hospital during my rotations. But Overlook was really an example of what it's like to lead with a family value in a field where family values weren't valuable. I get it because I've taken care of babies that are now taking care of their kids. So it's a family-orientated practice. I do miss my patients.

And I just get the biggest kick out of my original patient's kids coming in. Yeah, that's incredible. Do you have a patient that sticks out in your mind? Oh, not just one, quite a few. Quite a few. Like, you don't have to say their names, but. Well, one girl was there when I first started, and she had a couple of babies.

and the girls have grown up, and they have babies. And one of the daughters always said to me, I only want Jenny to give the shots to my babies because she gave me my shots, and she just thought, I don't know what, but I just adored, you know, I would go in. Even though I wasn't running that doctor who had her kids, they would come and get me to give the shots.

And the mom, you know, the first mom, like at that point is the grandma but she always went to see me and do stuff and a lot of people they just want me to give them your shots or they have to see me and we have to like especially long-term patients you know I welcome them and I hug them and talk about each other and what's going on and how you're feeling and you know just stuff like that it's just it's sad that after or 30 some odd years that now you're coming to the point of retirement. Yeah, it's a wonderful thing. Yeah.

It's wonderful. Is it just because you want to chill? What's driving the retirement? Because you're the glue that holds the office together. Oh, Michael, that's so nice. No, it's, I'm saying it genuinely. When I walk in and I walk through the hallways, the first person I want to say hi to is you. I know.

You always did do that. You always said hi to me. Because he had to say how to me. He has to pass me. We have an office. on Main Street, and here goes Michael strutting down the hallway, you know, and he always says something.

And it was always the most warm welcome. Like, no matter what bad mood I was in, if I saw you and Cherry and everybody there, it was just happiness right away. Oh. Even if something bad was going on, like in life or something else. That's rare.

Yeah. That you want to come to work to see your colleagues. Most people are like, I don't want to go to work. Oh, I always loved that job. I cannot, that was my blood, sweat and tears. I mean, I would always go beyond and above. That was just me also.

And I never wanted to like make the patient wait or for any extra length or anything. I wanted them to be happy. And I made them, I think in my own way, made them feel comfortable and fun. We have fun. But you didn't just do that for patients. You did that to residents?

You did that to the CMAs who worked with you? Oh, I love my CMAs. I love them. You did it to residents that needed help, whether it was mental or even you financially helped out some residents. Like, that's unheard of. Yeah. Really? Yeah.

Well. How many nurses do you think are going around helping residents? I don't know. It's rare, Jenny. I'm telling you, because I work in the hospitals. It just doesn't happen. That relationship doesn't happen. What drove you to be a nurse in the first place?

Oh, Michael. I'm never going back. I don't know. I think I always, I was in high school and I was volunteering as a, like, what do you call, volunteer red candy striper. Candy striper? Yeah. Back in the day, the people who volunteered, especially young girls, are called candy stripers. What did that mean?

What did it mean? I don't know. I don't know who invented that, but I was like volunteer. It was a candy striper. You had this uniform. I would go after work to this one hospital in the little, Like, not in union, but in Elizabeth, the town of Elizabeth, it was Elizabeth General. And we would go take the bus there.

And then that was my kind of first exposure. And I believe my mother dressed me up as Clara Barton once upon a time. And she just thought I was going to be a nurse. Who's Claire Barton? Claire Barton was one of the nurses who started. Did you were 50 years younger than you? Oh, my gosh. You never had this in school.

No. She was a nurse. She started being coming a nurse. I don't know what year. I would have did in my research if I was going to mention her. But, yeah, she had that blue cape on, I believe, and always helped, like, during the wars back in the day. And I think my mother dressed me up like that for Halloween to be a nurse.

And I think I like that, like that cape on me for some reason. So you like the outfit? Yeah, kind of. And then as I grew up, I don't know. I really couldn't tell you why. My mother wanted me to be a nurse and a nurse and a nurse. Was she a nurse? Nope.

So what was she? She was like administrative assistant secretary type of person. And she actually worked at Elizabeth Hospital also in the emergency room as like registering people. She did that a long time. But I don't know why she, I don't know. All I know is that I just loved the nursing school. I love the anatomy. and when you walk into the room and you see the patient and you make them smile and make

them feel better, I think I like that reward. I mean, I know I did my job and do whatever that had to be done. I worked on peds. I worked on pediatric kids with cancer, a few years of that. That was heart-wrenching. Is that harder than regular pediatrics? Well, it was a mix. It was, they were on the floors on peds.

It was, yeah, you feel for the babies and the parents. I mean, Pete's really got to you after a while because I did go through a few baby funerals. During the Volvo Fall Experience event, discover exceptional offers and thoughtful design that leaves plenty of room for autumn adventures. And see for yourself how Volvo's legendary safety brings peace of mind to every crisp morning commute.

This September, Lisa 2026 X-90 Plug-In Hybrid. from $599 biweekly at 3.99% during the Volvo Fall Experience event. Conditions supply, visit your local Volvo retailer or go to explorevolvo.com. Yeah. When that happened, you know, stuff happens. But, and then those were a great group of women, too, that I worked with, you know, everything for the patient that was the route to go. Who stood out to you?

Well, who stands out to you right now in your mind of, either other nurses or doctors that you work with as exemplary medical professionals. Do you want me to mention names? Well, just, sure. You could give by first name. Well, Dr. Alfred Murdoch, he was one of the finest gentleman I've ever met and is a wonderful doctor and caring and hands-on doc. And he didn't like the computer world either.

Same as me. I didn't like the computer world. he would be he would get so frustrated with it um and of course joe chibuna and dr tom holland all these attendings that i worked with and what made them special they cared dr murdock was caring for anybody and he would go the extra mile for anybody if something was bugging him he would figure it out and get whatever it took to get this patient well and go somewhere and just he was just a given doctor and and I believe he was born to be a doctor his father was a doctor at overlook and uh back in the day and then what what happened to him uh he passed away about

2012 while he was still working in our residency yes how did that happen he got sick over the weekend um it was a weekend he was vomiting and vomiting uh and he said that to his wife, something else is going on. I feel weak on the one side and they called a squad. And he was having a stroke. And they helped them and they did all the stuff that need to be done. And then he transferred him to a rehab. And here's my Dr. Murdoch with a hospital gown on and I couldn't stand it because he was always very dressed to the nine. He liked his suits. He liked all that.

We would always bust his chops about that. But here he is with a robe. And I always said, they can't do better than a discount for you for my Dr. Murdoch. So, and then eventually he did pass, which broke everybody's heart. The whole hospital was a sadist, very sad. Even attendings came up to me with tears in their eyes

when they heard about Dr. Murdoch passing. Yeah, it was very emotional then. And our whole office was so, the whole feeling of it was just so sad and grief. And, yeah, that was a big part. And I was his nurse. I was part of his nurse. I just adored him for, you know, as long as I known him. I actually started my residency just after that.

What year was that that happened? 12. 12 yet. I came in at 14. That's right. So I came in kind of on the heels of that and everybody would talk about him so fondly in his memory. There's plaques and memories of him.

and I never got a chance to meet him. You would have loved him. He would have got a big kick out of you. He would have really gotten a big kick out of you. Why do you say that? Because, Michael, you're different. You're in the limelight, you know. He would have bust your chops, I think.

He would have got a kick out of you. Do you think that he had an influence of Dr. Tribuna and that's how? Well, they were around the same. See, family practice doctors, I think, They're very unique. They need to know the patient, totally. And they get to know the patient. And Joe was always like that also.

I mean, Tersch was before him. I mean, Dr. Murdoch was before him. But Joe did meet him, Ajibuna. And then Joe got to be a doctor in our Chatham office, and then the associate director, and then now the director. So, yeah, they were, they're very similar of the same mold. I remember rounding with Dr. Tribuna first few times and we would go see patients in their rooms and I'm busy thinking about their blood tests or the specialist they need to see and he's more

focused on let me open your yogurt and feed you. That sounds like Joe because, yes, Joe would go and so would church. They would work on that stuff and worry about the other stuff later. Just make them feel uncomfortable to the patient. Yeah. Yeah, that was their primary goal. It seemed doctors would be trying to get out earlier out of the office or out of the hospital and they would try and stay later, not because they want to stay later, but until everything was taken care of it.

Yeah, yeah, they would be there late all the time. I don't think, I don't even know when Tersch would leave sometimes because he's always doing something. And I know his wife was waiting for him at home for dinner, but he'd get home seven, eight. You know, that's pretty typical of the office. Yeah, we're family practice. You know, they call it Overlook Family Medicine now, but it is family. Yeah. And they put out good doctors that still care.

Yeah. That's rare in society these days. I remember when we first started, I was like, I couldn't tell if you hated me or you liked me. On the beginning, I didn't like it at all. Everybody I don't like. It's like, let me see what you're made of first before I make my decision. Of course, I was nice and polite. But, no, let's see.

how this goes. That's how I look at, because we're there to protect a patient from you guys. You know what's funny? That's so true. It is so true. Like nurses prevent doctors from being bad. Well, you have to be with them and cover them. And one thing with Dr. Murdoch and the other 10, some of them want the nurse in there. And now it's grown up now that the nurse and the MA can't be in there because they're going to do other 50,000 stuff while they're, you know, and you don't get to be with the patient. I was always, most of the time I've been in rooms with the doctors, you know, getting stuff, doing stuff with the doctors with the patient and in the room.

Now, like, they don't want us in the room. They want us in and out. Yeah. Well, that's how the same they want us in the room on the computer, writing the note. And I'm like, no. I would get in trouble for that all the time. I mean, you knew that. Yeah.

Well, that's. How often did that, would you say that's the biggest complaint against that? Well, yes, Michael was behind days of typing up some notes for patients because they can't get charged. And then you got the billing people on Michael's case. I mean, emailing them, sending all sorts of nice and nasty notes, I guess. That's all you heard about. I learned medicine from Dr. Tribune, from the likes of a Tersch Murdoch of you want to be there for the patient, not for the computer, not for the record, not for the billing. So if I could choose between writing the note on time or giving better care, it felt like there was no option.

Of course you give better care. But I feel like that has changed. Oh, absolutely. Yeah? The epic took over, the computer world took over. It's changed the whole dynamics of being with a doctor. Do you think that's for the good or for the bad of health care? Well, I guess there's some good points about it.

But being an old nurse, I like patient care and hands-on. The computer can wait with me. I would go in a room, write everything on paper, deal with the patient. Then I would come out and put in the computer. But then the doctors would get mad at me because I would take too long on the computer. But I couldn't do it in the room because I didn't know what I was doing. I was computer illiterate and I had to learn all by myself. Plus I help from my friends.

Sure. But it got to be pretty funny. watching you suffer with the computer yes that would be more stressful i could save your life but don't put me on the computer do you think doctors are better connected with their patients now or they were 30 years ago oh i well i i answer it genuinely don't this isn't well i don't think so then um i think hands-on was the best way to know a patient and talk to them face-to-face because some people would always come out of her room and say, they don't even look up at me and da-da-da.

And I think that's disrespect for the patient. I mean, I'm saying all the doctors do that, but that's the way the business, it's a business now. It's not like it was. And how overlooked used to be was a very family-orientated hospital. And we knew everybody in the hospital. It wasn't a big conglomerate like it is now, but merging of all these other hospitals.

But that seems to be the way of the world. and it's in the business world. Is that partially what's driving your retirement? Well, not really as much as my back. The pain in my back where I couldn't walk anymore. That kind of did it. And of course, I said before, I think I missed my patience. I do miss that contact and I do miss my friends at work.

You know, they were like, we were all family and buddies. I think in 10 years I've never seen a place change so fast. Yeah. Because like I started and it was such a family, finished residency, became an attending there. And now I don't think besides some attendings, it's none of the same people from when I started, which is incredible. It is.

Everybody. Whereas in your era, it was 30, 40 years of service. Now it's, you know, a year or two and you move up or move on. Yeah, I moved on. It's just, it is different. And you're right. You saw a lot of changes going on. It's also during that time where the computer is coming in, the conglomerate world, the business world is all starting to take over.

There's different responsibilities. That's why everyone's stepping down, Dr. Kay's changing her position. I wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Tribune comes out and says, hey. He can't yet. He's too young. Well, he's young, but I wouldn't see too far in the future of him saying, yeah, I'm going to start why. ending down. I don't know. He's got grandkids now, so he's a granddad. He wants to have fun and he wants to still be a doctor. Do you have any memories of us working together that stand

out in your mind? You and me? You know, putting patience in with you. I don't know. We always had fun. I mean, you know. Isn't that weird to say we're in a place where people are sick and we had fun? We did always have fun. Isn't that? Like, it's weird, right? We had a good time. Yeah, we did have a good time. I mean, Mike, you would get mad a little bit, but nothing bad. I mean, we were probably running behind or something, and this patient isn't in the room, but that goes with everybody, you know, you got to, there's all we can only do, I keep telling them, I multitasked too much, and you can only do one thing at a time.

I mean, you multitask, that was my job, multitasking, you know, doing, putting the patients in when necessary, you know, playing at the desk, being triaged, doing refills, answering phone calls from everybody, and also the information desk for everybody who would walk by. I was like the main street. You were? You were the hub. The hub, yeah, yeah. Did you find it shocking that Atlantic hired me after residency?

Yeah, kind of. Why? Because you're a, you know, you're a famous man, and I guess they like that part maybe. but I was surprised, but it was good. It's a good thing because you had a nice ray of patients that liked you for OMT, and you would help them. And more people, I recommended you too.

They absolutely, like, adored what you did to them and helped them. And one thing you did help is a lot of younger people. Straightened, Mike, they could talk to you, the younger generation, their 20s, and they had problems. I know these kids have more problems today. than ever I feel. And you did help them because they felt comfortable relating to you

and talking to you about their problems and how you would help them. He's helped, you've helped quite a few patients of mine that needed help from a doctor like you, a young man that knows intelligent and could say, and they can relate to you. It was weird because when I did social media initially and I became an attending,

it felt like more people online had no idea, that I was practicing as a doctor. Like, that world never was shown. So they always thought I just did videos online and I wasn't practicing, but we would be working together so often that I think your view of me is drastically different than everyone else's view.

Oh, absolutely. How do you think it's different? Because I know the real you. I don't know this other one YouTube. Oh, you know, Michael, Michael. I didn't care about Michael being the YouTube guy. I cared about Michael. at the desk working with me and dealing with patients.

Yeah. And that's the way I knew, Michael. Yeah, I think the fact that you probably don't even remember this, but when I came in to the residency in 2014, I didn't have a big social media following. I was just a resident. Right. So I worked with you for a year in my intern year before the popularity started. I think had the popularity started before that and I came in already, YouTube popular,

I think you would have judged me differently. Well, I wasn't into you. I'm not into all that social stuff. So I didn't know much about it. Well, I would definitely not let it weigh my opinion of you as far as a doctor because you have to be a doctor and I have to see how you are with patients and all that stuff. And obviously you passed my test. Well, I passed your test and we got along great.

What about everyone's opinion of my work that worked with you? the cherries, Evettes, Colettes, did they have the same feelings as you did? Yeah, I think they all felt that, yes, you know yourself. Of course, they had not doubts, but wanted to see for sure how you acting. So they were skeptical? Yeah, yeah, that's the word, yeah. And then how did it land for them, you think, like when you guys were talking about it?

Oh, I think it landed well. We all agreed. I mean, of course, I was backing you 100% because I seen you in action, how many times. and people have commented. You know, we talk to the patients when they come out of the room. I never heard anything negative, like right now, but it was always good,

and people, like, respect you. And you know, you go in there, you're friendly, you talk to them, and you make them feel comfortable. Yeah, that's important. Yes, you make, you know, take the ease off of them. Well, what I started doing in overlook that I never really did in my training

or thought about in my training, partially led by Stuart Green in our office, is really focusing on the mental health aspect of physical problems. And I felt like patients really either respected that or some were very anti that. Someone even filed a complaint out one time when I did a YouTube video on it where they were like,

why is he talking to me about my mental health when I'm saying my back hurts? But I think it's important. I believe it's important also because a lot of the physical has all due with the mental status. For sure. And that kind of drives me to the point of my graduation. You remember you gave my speech?

I did give his speech. That's right. Because each resident would get someone to present either their graduation speech or an award to them. Yeah. And do you remember what you did? Yeah, I vaguely remember. I'm curious what your memory serves you.

Let's see. I forget what award you were up for. I was like some excellence awards. medical excellence. Of course he was excellent. I forgot. Of course. So it was the year that La La Land came out, the movie. And it was a joke as we were pronounced, we were announcing the award. And it was, we said La La Land and everybody, like some people got and some people didn't. And then it actually wasn't, I put you in saying something. I forget the wording I use, but it was my tall white

right now I need a tall white Russian and Michael totally missed it and he didn't get up right away and I'm looking at Michael in the distance I thought you were talking about alcohol well I think you were a nice tall white Russian That's fair Yeah and I think it was a joke

because I do like white Russian as an alcohol drink Ah yeah it was funny That part was funny Yeah, that was a good graduation. Yeah, it was fun. I remember you always telling me stories of what it was like to be a nurse back of the day and how different it is that you would flirt with some of the doctors.

Is any of the Grey's Anatomy stuff true? Because now I look at a Grey's Anatomy episode and I'm like, this is so not true. There's no flirting going on here. No one's hooking up. But you're saying back in the day it happened all the time. Well, yeah, there was lots of stories going around that hospital when it was a small hospital. Yeah. I mean, tell us some of the stories. Oh, I don't know everybody's story. You don't have to say everybody's stories. You know, there were times, you know, night hours, evening to the night and

things were happening that you didn't know about. You had a boiler room. I remember your boiler room stories, Jane. Oh, no, I don't know. But it was different than it is now. Yes, it is very different. I felt like people had connections back then. Yes, we knew, like, a lot of people. The overlook was small. It was a, I'm not saying it was a small hospital. It was a tight-knit people working 3 to 11. I floated in the beginning.

I knew all the people on the floors. It was fun. You knew, like, you know, the dietary people. You knew the environmental people, the engineering department, all that stuff. But now, you know, it's different, and everybody's busy and running here and there. Yeah, well, that creates a not-so-romantic environment these days. Yeah, but, you know, a lot of people have lodged up with other people from the hospital. What?

A lot of people. No, they have it. Yeah, they have. Not in the last 10 years. Oh, I don't know about that. People get involved with the person at work. Really? I didn't say it.

Yeah. Yeah. Behind closed doors. Well, maybe, but not like how it used to be with your boiler rooms and you sneaking off with residence or whatever you were doing. My goodness, Michael. You know, when you were a young lady. Bring it up some dirt.

Some good memories. But the real reason, well, not the real reason we have so much history and obviously, the YouTube channel is aware of you probably for my first day in the life video because part of my YouTube channel, people were like, do you even work as a doctor? I'm like, I should do a day in the life video. That's right. And I actually got in trouble for doing the day in the life video because it was like you didn't clear it with the hospital and you didn't do anything.

Right, yeah, I remember that. And you were the opening of that video. You're kidding. Yeah. And you said you got some messages for being in that video. Oh. Did your friends message you? I remember you were saying something.

Is that the one that you were, I was yelling at you and you were telling me? No, you were like, sit here and I sat on a garbage can and you were like, you know, there's a lot of good looking men walking around in scrubs. And that, what else did you say? But you had really sad stories from patients who were, you know, at the end of their lives, and they shared some words of wisdom with you. Yes, Michael. That was a long time ago.

Do you remember that video? No, but it's a long time ago. I remember the video where you were trying to, you were trying to film me, and I'm working at lunch. And I had no idea he was filming me. And I'm yelling at him because he was doing everything

like a little boy would do. I'm yelling at him. Michael, go away, go away. And he filmed it without my knowledge. Yeah. Until the next day. And then you're like, my friends are messaging me saying that I'm on some social media platform. And there goes, Michael, walking by me.

At first thing in the morning, he goes, Jim, we have 10,000, 10,000. And I go, what? What's 10,000 hits, Jen? I go, what? And then he came around to the side of where I was sitting and he showed me all this stuff. And I was mortified. And then people from, I haven't talked in a while, kept saying, oh, my gosh, Jen, is that you? texting me all this stuff.

You have a lot of fans. that's pretty funny it's true that's very funny um and then recently you took a medical leave of absence because you said your back was hurting you a lot um without divulging too much of what's going on now what led to the medical leave of absence what were your symptoms then just strictly speaking in the past well i had uh extra weight on me and my back was really hurting i did have a dressed before months before and I was living on Tylenol or ibuprofen and I thought it was you know nothing major but by January I it really bothered me a whole lot and getting up running around the floor is walking you know it was hurting walking out to the car at the end of the day because

you never left on time it was like really aggravating then by uh I did go to a doctor doctor then had x-rays done. And then by May, I just said I can't do this anymore. It was too much pain. I had epidurals that did not work. One doctor, I went to several doctors. They said I wasn't a candidate for surgery because my MRI and the cats game wasn't as bad as what it could be, I guess. But I was still in pain. It was low back pain. And you also had ablations. right? Yes, I had ablations after the epidurals didn't work, which I had more needles in my back than a siphon. I don't know. It was just one thing after another. And nothing really took care of the pain. And you were out from the office for a long time at that point. I remember

it was September and you were still out. Yes, nothing was better. Nothing was improving. Literally nothing was improving. Your back was, and you were losing weight at the time, but still the pain wasn't improving. Yeah, that's another far thing. like with the back pain because I lost weight and it didn't help the back pain a bit. So I don't know people out there. It was really, it didn't improve the pain, I must say. You mentioned you saw multiple doctors for the back pain. Yes.

And almost none of them examined you. But were some of those visits bad? Well, being a nurse and expecting more, I got less from a very, very competent. doctor who I chose to go to and he was very matter of fact you know as he's looking at my x-ray and everything he's talking to the to the x-ray not actually to me i was sitting like next like on the opposite side of him but he wasn't very kind and saying and as he got up he was just said you know you're not a candidate for surgery and i was like uh uh uh like what where i thought i would be a candidate for surgery because of the pain.

But when he was reading the MRI, the CAT scan, it wasn't as bad as what I felt. But I also was dealing with pain. So to me, right then and there, surgery would have been my answer and I'd be pain-free. But just how he just dismissed it was the problem. How did he dismiss it? What was his actions? Just walked out of the room. Just said, you're not a candidate for surgery.

Got him left. Never asked my question. Never said anything. He never cared about your pain, nothing. Never said, right. Never examined you. Right. And he said you got to go see someone else at that point, which I had to get up to the,

go to the counter where the nurse was, and she would describe what I was going to do next. So I was like, what? At that point, I just said, like, oh, my gosh. Were you disappointed that after all these years of service to the healthcare field, the health care field treated you like that? Well, I was disappointed that he wasn't going to help me. and I wouldn't say the whole health care because at that time I thought

they were doing the right thing. It made sense. Imagine you, as a nurse, you're getting that level of care. What would they do to a person who's not medically trained? I don't know. I mean, I ask questions and it just wasn't getting answered. And especially at that one doctor,

he was very intimidating. But he wasn't giving me any answers. But it's not even that he didn't have answers to give you. He just wasn't interested in having the conversation. Right. I think he felt it was a waste of time for me to come to see him. And I know he was a busy man.

That's rude to make you feel that way. I know, but that's kind of how I felt. And then walking out of the, you know, of course, everything was, nothing's close with your park. I mean, and everything, I was like in tears by the time I got to the car because it was hurting me. I got no results. And he wants me to go to somewhere else. I wanted an immediate, my thing was I wanted an immediate answer. Yeah.

Let's book the surgery. I'm ready. And then we went to a dinner because I haven't seen you for a long time with Dr. Tribuna and his wife. Right. And you told me how much pain you were and that you could barely get around. You were saying, like, I couldn't walk. I couldn't walk long. And then you showed me your MRI.

I looked at your MRI. I wasn't too impressed or excited. Which made me mad because something has to happen here. Why am I in this pain and nothing? And you were not impressed. He goes, he wasn't impressed. I had a cat scan done. I had an MRI done.

Yeah, looked at all. X-R-E's done. The hip's done. Nothing exciting. Nothing exciting. But I'm in pain and I couldn't walk and I wasn't going back to work. And I remember in early October, you had scheduled an appointment for a spinal surgery of a spinal cord stimulator to be put in. And that's what I got really bad.

Yes. I was like, you did. Yeah, you did. I was like, Ginny, you have to see me before you go for that. Yeah. And you were reluctant. Why were you reluctant to see me? like you said all these patients say great things you trust me with that stuff but then you were reluctant

to see me why well let's see because you are michael and i am an old lady and there was like no way i was going to have michael vrushsky like look at me touch me as a doctor why not you trained me i know but it was just something with me i guess i was you know what could i say but then i consented to it because i had joe dr joe trebrian on one side talking to me and Michael on the other side, and I think maybe I had one drink in me or something, and I just said, okay, let's make an appointment to see Dr. Varshowski. So against your will, you were forced to see me. I was forced to see you.

I had to make your appointment for you because you refused to make it. Yes. But we made it. Yes. And you officially became my patient. Yes. Which meant that we had to sign a bunch of paperwork for you to even have this conversation with me, which is funny.

Yes. And then you came in and you tell me how the visit went. Well, it was pretty funny because Michael was, Dr. Sossi was saying that it's your, he thinks it's my hip. And I'm saying I don't have pain in my hip. It's my low back pain, which Michael knew all along. But he kept insisting it was my hip. And I kept insisting it's not. And he finally yelled at me and said,

Ginny, stop being a doctor to yourself and I'm the doctor here. and he meant it. And I said, okay. What I remember from the visit is I was examining you and I was checking your back and I didn't see much wrong with it and you didn't have much pain or tenderness in the area. And then I would examine your hip and you'd be screaming. I was in pain. You were screaming.

I said, Michael, stop it. And then I would press and you would scream. And I would say, but Ginny, I'm pressing on your hip. And it's like, which I don't know, I was baffled because I still didn't. Get it. And then, you were like, you were arguing almost with me. Yes. Like, yes.

You were a disbelief. Yes, I was arguing with you. Why? Because you just thought it was your back and you've been told it's your back so many times. Well, let's see. Everybody did everything from my back and then nothing worked. And then it was still my back because that's where the pain was. But my hip, Michael was the only one that actually touched and physically touched my back

and my hips. I went to many doctors, and they only looked at the x-rays and the MRIs, and they all said I was not a candidate for surgery, but I still had back pain. So I went to very nice doctors, and they didn't do much for me. Ginny, are you saying you went to see pain medicine doctors, spinal surgeons, orthopedic doctors, your family medicine doctor, chiropractors, yes. And none of them examined you like the YouTube doctors? No. None of them examined them. Nobody touched my back except Michael.

Ginny, that's terrible. I agree. How do you think I felt when I had to actually go to you and confess that, okay, you're right. I mean, 40 years of service to the health care field. People are examining you trying to give you good health care, but no one's performing a physical exam. This blew my mind. I got so mad. I know. I was furious. Michael, you can't believe. I can't believe it either when he asked me. Did anybody touch? And I said, no, nobody touched my hip.

And you were scheduled for a spinal cord stimulator with no one examining you. No, but I know. They all took like for granted from the x-rays. Yeah, they said let's look at the imaging. Like your hip is fine on the x-ray. But like touch the, like perform it, like move the hip. No one did it. What's wrong with our current healthcare system if that's happening?

It's the computer. The computer is evil. I think so. Back in the day. So it depends on how you were taught being in the residence and who you're. And now the surgeons, the surgeons I went to, yes, they all show me the MRI. I've seen more pictures of my back and the MRI and the x-rays than I care to. And they couldn't see anything really wrong.

And then that one doctor suggested I have this stimulator put in. Without examining it. Without touching anything. So we do the exam. I realize it's your hip. At that point, you're probably in debilitating pain probably for six months. That's fair to say. That was May to October.

Because I remember October 10th was the date of your potential spinal cord stimulator surgery. So it was a week before that I saw you. Yes. You tell me right away, do not do it. Yeah, I said cancel that appointment, please. And you were initially confused. Rightfully so. You're like, what do you mean cancel it?

Right. you're like I work to get this appointment right I want to be paying free yeah so we canceled it we got you to see someone else to do an injection into your hip we got you with a physical therapist like we had the platelets we first did uh the steroid or did you go for the PRP no steroid no steroids you did the platelet rich prolotherapy yes the platelet rich plasma prolotherapy so that's where they take your blood they spin out the platelets which have healing factors in them they inject them to the joint yes A big needle on both sides. And the goal of it is actually to cause inflammation and potentially heal the area.

Right. So all the good stuff in there will come to that area and start healing it. Which I didn't feel much pain, which I didn't feel it all healed. Well, yeah, it's not a miracle thing. And in fact, it doesn't work a majority of the time. Oh, that's great. But if it works 40% of the time, that's still worth avoiding surgery. Yes.

So like it depends and you have to be realistic about expectations on those things. But when you saw the doctor that I recommended, you see for the injections, the doctor agreed that it was an SI joint, the hip joint problem. Right. It was turned out to be the, and the physical therapist, too, what I went to. And the physical therapist got you a supportive belt. Right. Started with the exercise, some alternative things with dry needling recommendations.

And now it's December. So you were in pain for six months, couldn't walk, about to get surgery. It's six weeks later now. Where are you at now? I'm very good. The pain has ceased. I think, you know, I could actually do housework without stopping in pain. I could sleep.

I never had a problem sleeping. That was the other weird thing. I never had a problem sleeping. There was no pain when I slept. Just when I moved, I got lots of pain and walking and stuff. I could walk long now. I could actually do more things. Is that incredible?

Yeah. It is incredible. It totally, I would never have been off of work all this long if I knew what I know now, obviously. If you just came to me. Yes. And Michael, he did tell me throughout the time to see him, why don't you come and see me?

And I said, no, Michael, until they surrounded me that one day at dinner. And they made me to it. And I said, and they were bugging me. And I said, okay, I'll consent to go see Michael. I always was really happy with our relationship and grateful for our relationship. And I always want to help patients no matter who they are. They could hate me, they could love me, and I still would want to help them. But to be able to help someone who trained me, who was my work mom for 10 years.

I mean, do you know how amazing that feels to be able to help you to walk? Like, you couldn't walk from your car to the office. And now you're fully functional. That's amazing. And I didn't do anything magical. Yes, you touched my hip and it hurt. That was something. Yeah.

Because I wasn't complaining of pain then. It's just when he was touching and physically examining my right hip is when the pain was there. And it's gone. And it's bizarre. Oh, I could say it's been very bizarre. It's incredible. It's sad that it just takes a physical exam that was missing to be able to

to help you and no one did that. Does that make you mad? Yes. It makes me, I wasted my time. A lot of my time going to all these high-end docs and even the pain management never physically touched me. She examined me. I walked. I did all that she saw what was going on. But yes, I think it's kind of sad. It's sad that, you know, it took Michael, my Michael, to figure out that something's going on with the hip. And all along, I must say, he kept saying that I think it's your hip, Jim. I think it's your hip. I go, no, I don't have pain.

So my thing was a pain in my back, which obviously came from the right hip with the ligament. So I guess I wore that ligament out for many months. Yeah. And the dangers of you going for those procedures, epidurals, ablations. You might have even had surgery had we not seen you. Those are risks. Yeah, but luckily, nothing happened. Thank God.

Thank God nothing did happen. I mean, I need some relief at that point. Yeah. And it helps temporary. What would you recommend to patients in the future from your learned experiences? Well, don't be afraid to tell the doctor to check everything, physical hands-on, which none of these high-end doctors touched me. Yeah.

So I would say you'd have to open your mouth and be an advocate for yourself. and make sure they figured out, is it really your back? Especially if there's nothing, I'm not a, wasn't a candidate for surgery to go in. And you weren't getting better? I was never getting better. You were potentially getting worse. I was, I was in constant pain.

Yeah. It was horrible. I canceled so many things because I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. I stopped working. I couldn't work. I couldn't function. No, physical therapy and the ligament.

And all that is all come together and we're working on that. So I am much better than what I was, not 100%, but so much better. I could live like this. But I don't want to live like this. I want to get 100% better. Well, you still got work to do. You still got exercises. Yes, yes.

Which we do. Which I do at home, which they told him physical therapy. He's helping up. Yeah, it's the simple stuff that works. Well, who would have ever known that? You think I would have, but no. Who would ever know that our 10 years will culminate into this? I know.

I still can't believe it's 10 years already, Michael. That's a long time. Yeah. And it went by with the flash. We're all over the place. Can I convince you to not retire now that I fixed you? Oh, no. You're cute.

Yeah, right. No, no, no. It's a done deal. It's a done deal. deal. What are you going to do in retirement? I'm going to have, like, do whatever I want to do and have fun. Travel. What do you want to travel? I want to start running my bike again. I haven't been able to run my bike. Where are you going to travel? Well, just anywhere around here or out of here, out of the country, but I don't have my passport. I need to get my passport. So that's a problem.

But yes, I'm planning to do some stuff. Well, I'm glad we were able to give you that flexibility to do that. I couldn't get on an airplane. I couldn't do nothing. And now, hopefully we'll be able to, I'll be able to stuff. Without pain. Now I think you will. I mean, if you go to Europe, I'm going to go to England and Ireland. It's a lot of walking, you know, so now. So you got to do the physical therapy, get in shape. So I need to, yes. When I was doing the social media stuff in residency, did you think it was stupid? No, I don't think I have, I didn't. think it was stupid. I thought it was pretty amazing that he thought of this. Really? I thought you always had a negative view because you hate the computer.

I thought you'd hate the social media stuff. Oh, no, that's totally different. The computer was the work part. The other social media was a fun part. But no, I'm not into all the social media stuff, but I don't get a kick out of that. But seeing you do it and seeing how you were with it, I think it was quite amazing and I think a lot of people paid attention to you, especially when you were in before residency, med schools when you started working out at the gym and then the residency and you could be a doctor and you would film in our office and you know and then the boxing happened which I made no sense don't touch that face of my Michael oh you cannot touch the face of Michael are you anti me boxing

yes why you don't think I'm good that's not the point the point is that face you don't want anybody touch your nose or touch your face no punching bands nothing like that you're that. I don't like that. You're done at the box. But it's for charity. No, I'm not done. Oh my gosh. I'm still going to keep fighting. You're kidding. No. Why? Do something else. It's good for charity. So is other stuff. Yeah, I know, but it's fun also for me. Maybe I like getting punched in the face. No, no face. You punched me in the face a lot when I was in residency. Yeah, I did not. I did that. I did that. That's funny. It's right there with you. He's come up. Enjoy, enjoy. What advice do you have for nurses that are either just entering the field or thinking

about entering nursing? Good luck. It's a wild. It's good luck. It's hard. Is that a bad good luck or good luck? I think it's got to be a good good luck because I don't know. I hear the floors are low staff. You've got to and a lot of machines going on. A lot of, you know, everything. everything is all computer. So you have to know your machines. And ICU is basically all machines. You have to know all that stuff. I think it's, it's tough. I was a nurse for a long time and running and running and running and lifting and lifting. Now maybe they have other stuff that are equipment. That's for sure on the floors. Would you advise them against becoming a nurse? No, the pay's good finally. No, they're making good money. Traveling.

The counseling nurses made a bundle when the COVID happened. And once again, on the other end, some people left nursing because it was just over the top. And they were older nurses. A lot of the older nurses have left. And right now it overload, I don't know too many older nurses still there that I know, you know, like compared to what I used to know. So do you think the field of nursing has a bright future ahead for it for it? Well, money-wise, I'd say the nurses. Why is everything money-wise with you, June?

Because I think. I didn't know you were a money person. No, I'm saying now there's so much money into nursing to be a nurse. But what about the reward of the field? You didn't go into nursing because of the money, did you? At that point, I can't even tell. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how much little I was making. How much were you making?

I don't know, very little compared to what I am now back in the 70s. So, yes, it was nothing like it was now. But I still want a nurse. I mean, if you go to nursing school and you're there for the patient, you've got to know what you've got to know. and you've got to be aware that, you know, some doctors make mistaken. If you feel in your gut something's wrong, that the doctor's doing something wrong, you've got to open your mouth.

And that's how I, you know, my mouth was open lots of times. Did you fight any of the doctors ever? Did you get into like a big altercation? No, nothing like that. Just kind of in a way. Gently guiding. Gently kind of saying something. Were any doctors mean to you?

No, I don't think so. I don't know of any. No. I don't think so. There's a lot of nurses talk about, maybe in the surgical field of doctors being mean saying weird things. Well, the surgical ones are, you know, they're under, they're going under, putting you under a knife.

Yeah, I could see where they can be a little, you know, mean, have it their way, their only way, and they deserve it. And the neural guys, oh, yeah, they deserve going into the brain and on somebody's brain. Yeah, I would never, I would never. take that personally because it's like the way they are the way their makeup you know outside of that outside of that they're probably they're really nice people the ones surging I just adore was terrific but yeah he was you know they want it right they want to right sure you have to do it right fair so okay well Jenny it's been a fun 10 years I aged thank you for making it fun oh michael thank you

you, honey. It was fun. It's really fun. We had fun. And I learned a lot from you, so I appreciate you. Oh, that's very sweet. Yeah. Sad that you're retiring, though. Are we going to have a big party? I don't think so. I'm going to try and make it a big party. I'm going to invite all the YouTube people to come.

Oh, that's pretty funny. It would be funny. You'd like it. I bet. As long as we play some good old rock and roll. We'll play rock and roll. We'll get you white Russians. We'll get you whatever you want. I play the Grateful Dead, white Russians,

the old women brothers. What else? All my Springsteins, yeah, back in the day. Cool. Well, thank you for sharing your story, Jenny.

Thank you for coming on. Oh, thank you, Michael. You're so sweet. Yay.