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View Full Version : Dr. Rosenbaum at Casey Eye Institute in Portland - saw him last week



ArlaMo
01-11-2013, 07:34 AM
Dr. Rosenbaum is a rheumy who also did his training in ophthalmology, so bonus for anyone with eye disease caused by Wegs! He does take issue with calling it Wegs ("it is GPA - we must be politically correct".) Just now thinking that with his name, he could be Jewish?? It was just kind of humorous during the office visit, but as I typed it, it made me wonder...

Anyway, he and his fellows/students were great. My eye pressure is really high in the eye that has scleritis - like 45 high. Yikes! And the other eye was around 30 at the visit. They checked it multiple times, with several different methods to make sure they were getting an accurate reading.

Now I'm on a couple of glaucoma drops to try and bring the pressure down to safe levels.

Dr. R is very knowledgeable about GPA. He was one of the pioneers in using Rituxan to treat scleritis and when I saw Dr. Koening in SLC on Monday, he talked about Dr. R and all the studies he had been involved in. There was definitely respect for him and likewise, from Dr. R towards Dr. K. I think they met earlier this year for the first time.

He is a proponent of rituxan therapy and also wants me to have maintenance doses at 6 month intervals. His dosing is a little more conservative than Dr. K's - Dr. R's concern is immunoglobulin levels, which I discussed with Dr. K. He is also concerned about the prednisone - I am now on a taper schedule; not quite as aggressive a taper as Dr. R wants but a little more aggressive than Dr. K's normal. All about balancing the good pred does with its horrific side effects.

So, if you are in the NW and have eye involvement, Dr. R is a great one to see. And they have orbital specialist at Casey that can deal with blocked lacrimal ducts, etc. I'm waiting to see if rituxan helps with mine, but Dr. R says there may be some structural damage. :sad:

annekat
01-11-2013, 08:17 AM
I'm pretty sure he's Jewish with that last name. I went to high school in Portland and there were some Rosenbaums, and I think they were in my grade school, too. Good students, as I remember, so wonder if he could be one of them..... Next time ask him if he grew up there and went to Lincoln High School.... He probably wouldn't remember me, though....

Anyway, I'd like to go to an ophthalmologist who is also a rheumy or has experience with AI diseases.... I'm in Olympia and would like it to be a little closer, but would certainly consider going to Dr. R. if he seems like the best choice! Not as major problems as yours, just a few visual disturbances here and there, but I'm due for an eye exam and think this would be best.

Dirty Don
01-11-2013, 12:46 PM
Small world after all...Dr. Rosenbaum recently assisted in diagnosing WG or the like in a friend of a friend's. AND, Anne, I went to Roosevelt HS, St.Johns area!!!! Hardly like Lincoln, but it was home! LOL!

annekat
01-11-2013, 01:16 PM
Small world after all...Dr. Rosenbaum recently assisted in diagnosing WG or the like in a friend of a friend's. AND, Anne, I went to Roosevelt HS, St.Johns area!!!! Hardly like Lincoln, but it was home! LOL! Why hardly like Lincoln? I do remember Roosevelt by name, through the football games and yearly choosing of Rose Festival Princesses. I would have graduated in 1970, but we moved to Davis, CA after my junior year and I graduated there.

beeinformed
01-12-2013, 05:51 PM
"Just now thinking that with his name, he could be Jewish??"


I find it inappropriate to speculate on what a doctor's religion is based on his last name. I find it appropriate to speculate on how good a doctor is by his experience in treating patients with this condition.

annekat
01-13-2013, 02:35 AM
"Just now thinking that with his name, he could be Jewish??"


I find it inappropriate to speculate on what a doctor's religion is based on his last name. I find it appropriate to speculate on how good a doctor is by his experience in treating patients with this condition. I can't speak for ArlaMo, and I found it a bit odd that she brought up his possibly being Jewish, but I interpreted it as more of a reference to the ethnic background than the religion. Of course, the two are entwined, so one must be careful. I greatly appreciate ArlaMo's further description of his experience and qualifications in treating patients with GPA. And I get the feeling she genuinely likes Dr. R., and to me, that would be a reason to be interested in his ethnic background; I am usually interested in that when I like someone. Having said all that, your point is well taken.

ArlaMo
01-13-2013, 04:05 AM
Wegeners was renamed because Wegener was a Nazi. That was the only reason that the possibility of being Jewish even crossed my mind. He said several times during the visit that "we must be PC" and his students and fellows were laughing a bit. It just clicked as I typed his name out, that's all.

annekat
01-13-2013, 04:09 AM
Wegeners was renamed because Wegener was a Nazi. That was the only reason that the possibility of being Jewish even crossed my mind. He said several times during the visit that "we must be PC" and his students and fellows were laughing a bit. It just clicked as I typed his name out, that's all. I didn't even think of that! It makes perfect sense. Thanks for the clarification!:biggrin1:

beeinformed
01-13-2013, 07:01 PM
ArlaMo,

Your comments about the doctor’s religion are not relevant to the basic theme of your post (even giving voice to the antecedents that motivated you). What is relevant is that the doctor has the experience and knowledge to treat you and other patients who have similar symptoms.

ArlaMo
01-14-2013, 02:04 AM
And absolutely nothing in my original post or subsequent posts would indicate that I based my evaluation on religion or ethnicity. There is nothing in my post that says I based my evaluation on such a connection and I would not even begin to think that a doctor's efficacy had anything to do with religion/ethnicity, as you seem to think with your continued posts on this thread and your private messages. In fact, the original post indicates that it was simply a thought as I was typing

Again, the ONLY reason it even came to mind was because the name of our disease has officially changed and the reason why, Dr. Rosenbaum mentioned it several times during my visit, and as I typed out the OP, I thought of it as an aside. That is ALL.

annekat
01-14-2013, 02:42 PM
My speculation about what high school the doctor may have gone to was WAY LESS relevant to the theme of the post than anything that ArlaMo said, and nobody jumped all over me for that. I am behind ArlaMo on this.

beeinformed
01-14-2013, 05:33 PM
ArlaMo,

I took offense about you mentioning the doctor's religion not for the reasons you think. The rules for posting on this website state and I quote (You can look them up as I did) "So, for the sake of the future harmony of this wonderful group of people, the following topics are hereinafter banned from discussion:"
"Politics (all forms of)"
"Religion (all forms of)"


I rest my case.

pberggren1
01-14-2013, 10:34 PM
Beeinformed:

There is nothing that a normal person would take offense too in this whole thread. NOTHING. So just drop it or take a pill.

annekat
01-15-2013, 03:02 AM
I agree with Phil. There was nothing referencing anyone's practice of or faith in a religion. Part of the "theme" of the original post was regarding the WG/GPA name change. The doctor's last name was simply a reminder that due to events in history, he MAY have even a greater interest than many others in the reasons for that name change. Yet he could maintain a sense of humor about it, which is to his credit and implies his good character and ability to relate well to his patients. These are some of the qualities, beyond professional expertise in a field, that make a good doctor.

ArlaMo
01-15-2013, 06:20 AM
beeinformed - I'm sorry you decided to take offense at my post. I cannot control your reactions or your assigning intentions to my post that I never intended. I wasn't even thinking about religion nor did I discuss religion in any way. It was simply an aha moment as I was typing that his name *might* be Jewish (NOT the religion, simply the possibility of an ethnic Jewish name) and that it *might* explain why he took issue (in a humorous way) with me using the term "Wegeners" during my visit on more than one occasion.

I didn't mention the doctor's religion, as I have no idea what it is, nor would I have any reason to ask or to know it.

Dirty Don
01-15-2013, 08:22 AM
OooooKay everyone, back to the Casey Eye thingy!? Much more interested in that...struggles to keep from biting lip...

drz
01-15-2013, 09:09 AM
He sounds like a good find to have some one knowledgeable about Wegs (or GPA if he wishes) who is also an expert on eyes and how Wegs may affect the eyes. Therefore he should be on the list of good resources for those in that area. Help in finding doctors skilled in treating our problems is a great service this forum can provide. Now we are back on topic, right and no need for a Putin.

ArlaMo
01-15-2013, 09:23 AM
Thanks drz and Don - back to the topic at hand.

Dr. Rosenbaum was very quick to follow up with all my other docs. I saw him on a Wednesday afternoon and had an appointment with my local internist on Friday morning. Dr. R had sent all his notes and recommendations to my doc by Thursday. Very efficient - which I think can often be key in the rapidly changing GPA/Wegs patient.

annekat
01-15-2013, 01:42 PM
He sounds absolutely great. I haven't researched enough in my area yet, and he would be about an hour and a half drive, but sounds like he would be worth the drive for any eye issues I might have whether related to GPA or not. OK, I may now be ready to start calling it GPA! :smile1: