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Jay Friedman, July 2008 Percutaneous Kidney Cryoablation Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy December 19, 2009 THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME... I've been a diabetic for 15 years. Like most people, I took blood and urine tests once or twice a year. My diabetes was very much out of control. I was taking 4/500 mg tablets of metformin a day, a pill for high blood pressure and one for cholesterol. Along with a shot of insulin in the morning and one in the night, my numbers were still in the high two hundreds and sometimes in the threes. Needless to say weighing close to 240 pounds, my diet was as out of control as my diabetes. Then one day in January 2009, my urine test "showed" signs of blood. Since this wasn't visible, other measures had to be taken. I went to my urologist and further tests were given. A cystoscopy, sonograms, cat scans and last but not least, cat scans with contrast. After many tests, the diagnosis of cancer was evident. Not only in one kidney but in both kidneys. I always said "when I do something, I do it right." I guess the first thank you should go to my sister Eileen. She found Dr. Jaime Landman on the Internet. "Cancer needs a specialist," she said, and a specialist he is! He is an Associate Professor and Director of Minimally Invasive Urology. My husband Douglas and I along with my sister Eileen, all went to meet with Dr. Landman. My first procedure was called a cryo-ablation. This was performed on my left kidney. The tumors were pertruding out of the back, not interfering with any other organs. The operation was a success, the tumors were frozen and disintergrated. In April, I had a partial nephrectomy on my right kidney. Dr. Landman operates laproscopically-he is totally incredible! With only a three-inch scar and some dots and dashes, my second procedure was a success as well. I didn't need any chemotherapy or any other post surgical applications. After a one month check up- cat scans were clear! Dr. Landman suggested a major change in my dietary behavior. Once again my sister Eileen came to the rescue. She had read that "The South Beach Diet," written and composed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, was very successful for diabetics. I followed my new way of life starting June 22, 2009. I am still continuing today. After my six-month cat scan check up, all is clear!! I've lost 46 pounds so far and my sugar levels are normal. I am off all diabetic medication as well as high blood pressure and cholesterol. What can I say? The best thing that ever happened to me was getting cancer. Laparoscopic Partial Naphrectomy October 30, 2009 To Whom it May Concern: I am a relatively healthy, thin, 57 year old optometric physician with a history of Crohn's disease that has been stable for quite some time. When I went for a routine CAT scan to check on my current condition, I was quite happy to be told that my small intestine looked better than it did six years ago. The "suspicious" neoplasm on my right kidney was nexpected. After gaining my composure and asking all the "how and why" questions, my type A personality went to work. I called my patients who are physicians at Columbia and asked who they knew in Urology who could help me. Dr. Jaime Landman was the name that consistently came back to me. I even called upon a pediatric surgeon who said he'd do the research for me, and he came back with Jaime. I was excited. When I initially called Dr. Landman, he insisted I see him immediately. I obtained a copy of my films, crossed the Hudson and found the 11th floor. He took his time while explaining my options, allowed me plenty of time to ask questions, and when I walked away, I had all the confidence and assurance that I hope my own patients walk away with. I was convinced he was my surgeon! Anxious about my upcoming surgery, I was relieved to have met Dr. Landman. Then I asked myself, should I get a second opinion? I made appointments with Sloan, Beth Israel, and to a local urologist at Englewood Hospital, only to reassure myself that Dr. Landman was still my number one choice. He insisted that a laparoscopic partial nephrectomy was the best choice for me....and now 11 days post-op, I am back in my office seeing patients. The tumor was renal cell carcinoma that required no further post-op care; and I couldn't be happier with the news and prognosis. A caring person and a super-qualified surgeon, Dr. Landman is my new hero! He has helped me through this very tough time in my life and I will forever be grateful for knowing him. Sincerely,
Laparoscopic Partial Naphrectomy September 9, 2009 Sincerely,
Laparoscopic Nephroureterectomy September 3, 2009 I thank you, as so many others must have done, for that gift, as well as for your brilliance, warmth and wit. Please extend my admiration as well to your wonderful team(s); when they popped in on rounds the air seemed to crackle with sheer intelligence and vitality - what a great bunch! How about some Landman clones sprinkled literally throughout the medical community? Sincerely,
Laparoscopic Radical Naphrectomy September 2, 2009 Currently I am able to participate in all of the activities that I enjoy. I play table tennis with my sons, dance at the senior center, I do a considerable amount of walking, and I am able to take care of my wife which is the main goal of my life right now. Thanks to you, I am enjoying a good and healthy life. Many thanks. Sincerely,
July 27, 2009 In April 2009, my life was what I considered normal - two beautiful daughters, a great girlfriend, a good job working with people that I liked, good friends, a second home at the beach and, most important of all, I was healthy. I actively worked at it, because, as my grandmother would say, if you have your health, you have everything. I exercised 4-5 days a week, I ate salads regularly, some fish. maybe one drink a week and no smoking, ever and of course, not a lot of red meat. Not exactly the life of someone who was about to be diagnosed with kidney cancer at the young age of 49. In mid April, after a pretty hard day at the gym, I went home and noticed blood in my urine. I had heard people at the gym complain about this and they said it was "common." Needless to say I spoke to a local Central Jersey urologist who recommended a CT-Scan. The scan indicated that I had what the doctors call a "small renal mass" on my right kidney. The shock was almost paralyzing. I started doing my research and scheduled an appointment with Dr. Landman as another Columbia Pres surgeon had successfully treated my mother when she had a brain tumor removed. Now, although I knew I liked Dr. Landman after the initial visit, I also knew I wanted a second opinion. I knew I wanted a third opinion, and yes, I knew I wanted a fourth opinion. I'm like that. So, I met with the people I considered to be the best Laparoscopic Kidney Surgeons at each of the major NY and NJ hospitals. Although each of the surgeons that I met with were impressive in their own right, I selected Dr. Landman. He had what I considered to be the right mix of education, experience, confidence, humility and compassion. Ultimately I learned that each of these traits were equally important in dealing with me, my loved ones, and what turned out to be my "situation" which included two ureteroscopy/cystoscopys and finally the laparoscopic removal of my right kidney and associated ureter. Now, although it's only been 12 days since the surgery, I am recovering nicely and I'd recommend Dr. Landman to anyone whose life has been temporarily interrupted, as mine was. Ken Spinner Laparoscopic Kidney Cryoablation June 19, 2009 Six months later, I was told the tumors had returned. Unwilling to undergo a second open surgery, I located Dr. Landman, who performed a laporoscopic renal cryoablation in Sept. 2006. Compared to the open surgery, the cryoablation was a walk in the park. It was relatively painless and resulted in a much shorter hospital stay and recovery period. What's more, it's now been three years and the tumors have not returned. All in all, I would recommend Dr. Landman and the cryoablation procedure in the strongest possible terms. Best regards,
Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy June 04, 2009 Dear Dr. Landman, You absolutely stand out among all the surgeons I met with and I couldn't be happier that you did the surgery. I also want you to know how helpful and responsive Milean was every time I called and how wonderful your whole team was - from speaking to me pre-op, taking me into the operating room, doing the IV... to coming to check on me afterward in my room. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Amy McGurk
March 2009 This particular incident of my life lasted about 3 months. I'll split it into 3 parts because that's pretty much how it happened. A little about myself first, I'm a white, 47 year old, middle class Jersey guy. I like to play golf, go to rock concerts, spoil my nieces, and play practical jokes on my brother. I did smoke cigarettes for most of my life, and I'm an alcoholic (15 years sober), but besides that, I have enjoyed particularly good health. No broken bones, major illnesses, or surgeries. No family history of anything really serious. While I consider myself a unique individual, I am pretty much an average male. I'm average height, weight, intelligence, income, and lifestyle, and pretty happy with my life so far. Got it? I'm in the bull's-eye of the American middle class demographic. DISCOVERY (or, "$#@!, I have cancer!")
SURGERY
RECOVERY
Dave Fox December 30, 2008 From my initial consultation with with Dr. Jaime Landman, I felt I had found a professional I could trust. As soon as we sat down in his office, he made me feel at ease and... important: Clearly, I had his complete attention. For the next hour and a half, we traded questions and answers. And, using a flat screen monitor, he showed me exactly what he would do. I left his office feeling empowered with knowledge and optimistic in spirit. My initial feelings were confirmed when, only a few days later at 8:30 on a Friday evening, I emailed Dr. Landman with a question about a procedure another hospital wanted to do. Within an hour, Dr. Landman called me (even though I said that he could email me on Monday) to answer my questions and give me his thoughts. To say I was impressed by his quick response and genuine concern, is putting it mildly. Dr. Landman is that rare combination of a highly skilled doctor who is also a sensitive human being. He is an incredibly gifted surgeon who actually sees his patients as people not just another medical case. He is a perfectionist in his work even to the point of assembling his own surgical team who share the same standards he demands of himself. My pre-op meeting with he and his staff at 6:00 am, totally allayed any last minute "jitters" - their warmth and confidence really helped calm me. I guess you could say I not only respect and admire Dr. Landman, but I like him. I believe he is a valuable addition to the medical community and I feel we are very fortunate to have him. Regards, Dear Dr. Landman, I'm writing this letter to tell you how grateful Eileen and I are having chosen you for our surgeon. You promised much, but you delivered so much more. Your team of fellows from Dr. Poon (hope that's the correct spelling?), down to the last member could not have been better. As you know, I'm a very nervous person, but you did so much to reassure me on the morning of the surgery that all would be fine, and thanks to your great talent it was. My recovery nurse Greta, was an angel who watched over me so professionally, as was everyone at the hospital, but she did so much to make me feel so secure that I singled her out. I point this out because of the trepidation I had about the nurses at Columbia Presbyterian. Everyone, and I stress everyone, did so much to make Eileen and I feel secure. If it is not too much trouble, please pass a copy of this letter on to the appropriate person or persons for they should know that their employees are so professional. With our sincere appreciation. Very truly yours, July 2, 2008 Dr. Richard Levine, MD, President Dear Dr. Levine, Our son is a doctor, about to begin his fellowship program in pediatric gastroenterology at Harvard, so we have experienced, through him, the challenges and rigors of a medical education. Though the med schools attempt to inform their students of the importance of what we, as laymen, call bedside manner, to a patient facing the prospects of disease, surgery, anesthesia, pain, debilitating treatments and the unknowns, the words of the doctor, in whose hands they must place their lives are incredibly important. Dr. Landman was honest and straight-forward in a manner that only someone who is sensitive and caring could express themselves. He made Wendy feel that he would do for her what he would do for the people he loves most in the world and I believe once she got that feeling she was comfortable in trusting her life to him. Aside from this humble attempt to compliment Dr. Landman, I hope that this better enables you to convey a message to young surgeons who must face the daunting task of informing their patients who face surgery to do so in a sensitive and caring manner so their patients can have confidence in the most achievable outcomes. May I dare say the word "love," to describe the depths of feelings that pertain to the best physician-patient relationship, for who could not love someone that would save their life? Like the heroic lifeguard, firemen and police that protect and save lives, the patient looks at their surgeon in much the same way. Lastly, I think Dr. Landman's attitude, that he can make pigs fly, is the right kind of mindset for young physicians everywhere. My deepest thanks to Dr. Landman and those that have helped him become the wonderful human being and talented surgeon he is today. Sincerely,
July 2, 2008 Dear Dr. Landman: While these are the clinical facts of my case, they do not begin to tell the human part of the story. My world abruptly turned upside-down when I got my diagnosis. For someone used to controlling their own fate, I was now in a position of having to depend on others. I felt scared and vulnerable. Determined to seek treatment anywhere in the country in order to achieve the best results, I started to research my options. My efforts lead me to Dr. Jaime Landman at Columbia Presbyterian in New York City. His record clearly reveals that he is a leader and innovator in his chosen field, one of America’s top doctors. I can honestly say the healing process started the day I met Dr. Landman. He instantly put my concerns at ease. He informed me in great detail about the nature of my condition and what were the prospects for recovery. He fully described my treatment options and what I could expect from each choice. He was direct and forthright, answering every question I had until I was satisfied I understood each issue discussed. He could not have been more generous with his time. When we were done talking he came around his desk, put his hand on my shoulder and said matter-of-factly: “Don’t worry. You are going to do great with this. We’re going to get you well again”. Wow. When I left his office I felt like a great weight had been lifted. I felt empowered: We had a plan to get better. In the days leading up to the surgery I invariably had more questions and concerns. Whether by phone or by email, Dr. Landman promptly responded to each and every one of my correspondences. I could not be more grateful for the level of courtesy he extended towards me and my family. He was there, talking me through pre-op, describing what happened after the procedure as soon as I woke up, and personally checking in on me the next day at the hospital. There wasn’t a moment in this whole process where I felt like just a patient, a number, a case study. To the contrary, Dr. Landman made me feel like he was a friend who was going to help me get through this. And that is exactly what he did. I can not recommend the services of this good doctor highly enough. Dr. Landman was the perfect choice for me and my family. All professionals offer their services. Not everyone offers you comfort, confidence and hope, as well. Cancer to cure in 60 days. I am very lucky, indeed. Mr. Ray Piniella Laparoscopic Cytoreductive Radical Nephrectomy November 1, 2006 Dear Dr. Landman: On December 16, 2005, I had a 10 cm. renal cell carcinoma mass removed from my right kidney. You chose to do it laparoscopically, thus making the procedure quicker with fewer traumas for me and I was an in-house patient for only 3 days vs. the approximate 7 days for a more traditional surgical procedure. The surgery was event free as was the recovery, so much so that I was able to vacation with my family in Aruba starting on December 24th. Your many post operative visits wee very much appreciated and that showed your dedication and interest in my well being. Dr. Landman, you are caring, dedicated, skilled urological apostrophic surgeon and Columbia Presbyterian Hospital is lucky to have you. I cannot recommend you highly enough. Yours truly, Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy April 12, 2007 Dear Dr. Landman, I would like to start off by saying that you made me feel so comfortable from the first moment I met you. You took the time to explain everything about my condition, you showed my wife and me in detail the cat-scan results and explained the entire procedure that would need to be performed. You took the time to answer all my questions and returned every one of my phone calls, no matter how busy you were. You demonstrated extreme confidence in your ability and skill to do the procedure, which in turn put me completely at ease. It gave me a sense of confidence in you that I did not feel with other doctors. After my procedure you were in constant contact with me about my recovery. You even took time out of your weekend to check in on me at the hospital, something I would never have expected. Your staff is wonderful. The operating room, hospital and office staff made me comfortable from start to finish. Yvette was fabulous and is an asset to you practice. She returned my phone calls in a timely manner and tried to answer all my questions. If she could not, she put me in contact with people that could. She took the time to make sure that my insurance company and Columbia Presbyterian came to a resolution about payments. In my eyes she went above and beyond to make sure there was as little out of pocket expenses as possible for me. In closing I can’t express the gratitude I have for you. You are a doctor that I have grown to trust entirely. I value your opinion immensely. Even though I am well into my recovery, I still feel that I can call you anytime about any concerns I may have. Once again I commend you and your staff for going above and beyond to help my operation and recovery go smoothly. With Sincere Thanks, September 18, 2006 Dear Doctor Landman: Over the years I have had a substantial amount of surgery, but this was by far the best experience I have undergone. By the time I arrived in my hospital room from the recovery room I was able to get out of bed and walk around. I was discharged the next day and had only a slight awareness that I had undergone surgery. My complete recovery was very quick and the evidence of the tiny incisions quickly disappeared. The follow up has indicated complete success in dealing with the cancer. I wish that all my previous surgeries could have been as easy, and I hope that cry oblation will be available for any surgery I may need to undergo in the future. Thank you and best wishes, November 12, 2006 Dear Dr. Landman: Sincerely,
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