Editor:
It was a kind of an emergency. It could be a lymph cancer, or something else.
After a lengthy examination by doctors and nurses of Student Health Center, I was referred to a surgeon, a middle-man, whose job was well known: he would refer me for biopsy. A week was wasted for the signature of this middle-man, and another week for biopsy.
Dr. Osama Abdelatif of St. Joseph Hospital performed needle biopsy without inflicting pain on my neck! I was surprised when he informed the result of the biopsy immediately Ÿ before I left the lab.
Thank God, it was not cancer, but a fungal infection: coccidioidomycosis, or simply valley fever; the disseminated kind. It could inflict fatal damages on any organ, even my brain. Thereafter, Dr. Blair Hess offered her care and compassion. She worked extra hours, examined me in detail, showed her concern, made research on the subject, and kept in touch with me. Finally, she found a team of doctors who have dedicated themselves to fight that fungus. I would like to thank Dr. Hess and Dr. Abdelatif and all the nurses and employee in the health center. I wish I had not had to waste a week for the middle man who offered me only a sulky face in exchange of $104.
There are superb people in the Student Health Center. Unfortunately, you need to become sick in order to meet them.
Edip Yuksel
Law Student