Eugene Viscusi, MD, director of Acute Pain Management at The University of Thomas Jefferson Hospital

Dr. Viscusi is one of the best doctors I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I am now 31 yrs old and since I was a baby, starting with the hand foot syndrome and jaundice, I have been fighting every year til now with this disease. In all these years I have had many encounters with doctors and nurses that were good & bad. Those doctors that were bad were individuals that made me feel small, were in-compassionate, frustrated that they didn't understand why the disease was affecting me the way it was and as a result would get frustrated with me. 

However, the good doctors and nurses were patient, and understanding. They took into account that my form of the disease wasn't my fault and instead doubting/disregarding me and my input--would work with me in trying to stabilize my many hospitalizations. Dr. Viscusi is the latter. He's not perfect but I just wanted to write a blog in his honor because no matter the ups and downs I truly respect and am grateful for how hard you work on my behalf. I know on my end that I too can get impatient and scared but you always match me with assurance and thoughtfulness. Dr. Viscusi just has a lot of wisdom. He knows what kind of medication to give me for that specific symptom. Unlike doctors I've had in the past that write Rx for the sake of writing them. I've been given medications that have totally shut my body down. Docs have written huge and uneffective doses that would leave me lethargic at times. For instance, I used to take 450mg of morphine three times a day in addition to taking other pain meds! However, Dr. Viscusi saw how uneffective it was and how it was actually hurting me and adding to my pain--instead of easing it. So they tapered me off of  it while I was in the hospital. Though I went through intense withdrawals, it was later obvious to everyone that because I was off of the morphine, my spirit/demeanor was lifted. So, on doctors orders, I am no longer taking narcotics~across the board. If it wasn't for Dr. Viscusi I'd still be on those large doses feeling weak and tired all the time and I would still be in a lot of pain.

Dr. Viscusi has always been open and honest with me about my care. He's always been willing to take some risks to get me to a point where he can ease my pain. Ketamine is an analgesic drug used in operations to keep the patient sedated. Well Dr. Viscusi wanted to try using that drug for my sickle cell pain! He was open about what the side effects were and the fact that this was an experimental trial. This drug has never been used with sickle cell patients before, so I would be the first. I was fine with that. I'm always open to new ways of dealing with my pain! Plus, I trust Dr. Viscusi! Well it worked! Ketamine helped my pain (didn't cure it) and I still use it till this day! No other Doctor has been willing to work so hard for me and take risks for me like Dr. Viscusi! I am truly grateful for him and so I wanted to take the time out to show him how grateful I am for having him as my doctor! All the work that you do does not go unnoticed, ThaNk yOu!!!

Working with the set of doctors and nurses that I work with has in many ways become a family. As many know, families have their ups and downs but in spite of it they remain family. Well in spite of the hard times I do appreciate you all and want to thank you all (PURPLE TEAM, PAIN TEAM)!!!