Holistic Worker Pleased By daVinci® Surgery Success
At first, Francesca Geores, 49 (pictured at right), a holistic health practitioner and ordained minister, thought she was dealing with intense menstrual cramps. But abdominal pain eventually drove her to a health facility near her Cape May, NJ, home.
The news was not good. An eight centimeter mass on each ovary was creating the pain and a complete hysterectomy was in order, followed by six to eight weeks of recovery.
"They were going to take the uterus, the Fallopian tubes, the appendix, everything," said Mrs. Geores. "But only the ovaries were the problem and I didn't want to lose healthy tissue.
"I was extremely depressed. This would have meant being out of work for many weeks, plus such a highly invasive procedure was contrary to my beliefs and practices."
Someone led Mrs. Geores and her husband, Joe, to Howard Saul, M.D., a gynecologic surgeon who told them about the DaVinci® robotic surgical system at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center.
"I was hoping for laparoscopic surgery to make it less invasive," said the patient. "I was lucky enough to meet Dr. Saul and he agreed that the ovaries had to come out and said he could do it with the daVinci® system. We had done a lot of research on the Internet but never came across it.
"When Dr. Saul explained daVinci® we were floored by it. And then I asked him what else are you going to take out and he said nothing. Nothing else is wrong. I told him that was the answer I've been waiting for."
She underwent the surgery in May of 2008 and 10 days later was back in the surgeon's office for a visit, saying "I feel better than I have in 10 years." She discreetly pulled away her waistband to show several of the five incisions, less than an inch long, made during the surgery. They were healed and were not painful, she said.
Her husband Joe said: "We were guided to Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center by Dr. Saul and I have to tell you, we are very happy. He said this is where you will receive the best care and he was right. It was a brilliant experience."
His wife, who offers Reiki and aromatherapy services in her practice, said she was impressed by the Lourdes Prepare for Surgery Program and the extensive Lourdes Wellness Center.
"What Lourdes is doing is groundbreaking," she said. "In 15 years in alternative health I have seen so much progress in the integration of the two (alternative and traditional) and I was extremely impressed with everything about Lourdes.
"There was no way I could not have surgery, so this was definitely the way to go. It was less time for me under anesthesia and less stress on my body. The daVinci® system literature said there is less blood loss during surgery, less chance of post operative infection and less chance of post-operative complications.
"All of these were huge factors in my decision to go with daVinci®. It was a win-win situation.
"This was a complete positive experience. There was nothing negative about it. I'd like people to know how wonderful this was."
Ten days after surgery, Mrs. Geores was told by Dr. Saul that she could return to work the following week. He also told her that she could go back to her weekly yoga classes the week after. "Just think of it," Mrs. Geores wrote in a followup message, "This method of surgery is so amazing that two weeks after I have major surgery, I am not only able to go back to work, but back to my yoga class as well! Absolutely incredible! In only two weeks' time, I am back to my normal life!"
