A DOCTOR'S TALE

My friend, DR  JOHN PEZZIMENTI  wanted his grandchildren to know his story and like our Mother Felicitas in her  “Cord of Longing” (see Blog July 1, 2017)  never realized in the beginning that the book would one day be published  to be read by many. John's wife  was my roommate at Creighton and we have remained friends all these years. Like so many women of our day, she raised the family, while John pursued his career. 

His book, A DOCTOR’S TALE is a fast read that should be given to anyone considering the medical profession- and perhaps to those already in it who have become jaded or discouraged. It is a book about courage, the drive to serve and of hope. It is a book about knowing more can be done, and in spite of “experts” telling him no, he pushed forward till he had answers.

 It is obvious that the mentors he had throughout his career, valued his brilliance as an innovator and healer.  He is often too modest about his role in the research in hematology and cancer therapies we have today.

 John seemed to have an instinct who to trust and who not to trust! He pulls no punches, while explaining how medical science has done so much for us he does not ignore its failings.

I found his revelations about heads of major medical institutions and their rigid, and at times greed for power play, to be shocking, as if they cared more for their own glory than the welfare of humanity. And one wonders how bright young M.D.s ever got out of the shadow of "greats" to do their own research.  John quotes Neil Bohr (Nobel Prize in Physics in 1922):  "an expert was someone who has made every conceivable mistake in a very narrow field".   This gave John confidence in his work later, in spite of the fact he did not graduate from an ivy league school.  Years later his mentor  John Lindenbaum (world class M.D. in hematology) would tell him he was  the best fellow that ever came through Columbia. 

 Oncology was not a recognized speciality in 1970  (in 1975 it would be seen  as a sub-speciality of Internal Medicine)  and when John wanted to do training in cancer medicine he was told it was "on the lunatic fringe of medicine". John had to apply to Yale's school of pharmacy in order to do his training. He had the vision to see the future in cancer treatment and cure.

One of our island friends is a world class MD in the field of orthopedics.  He made his mark through surgical inventions which made him a very rich man. I once asked him why countries like Sweden and Japan, which are ahead of us in many ways, were using his devices and not many physicians in the USA. His answer was it is hard for Americans to change their ways.  This is certainly borne out in John’s book.

John would go on to set up an oncology center in Danbury, Connecticut, as well as teach at Columbia and Yale. He would pioneer bone marrow transplantation.  John practiced for 53 years, was triple certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, was chief of Hematology, chief of Oncology and director of Cancer Medicine in Danbury Hospital.

 His personal story is informative about the history of cancer treatment in the U.S., but also one that demonstrates the importance of staying true to one's self. 

 

(Note the hat - while on a visit to Shaw Island).