Itzhak Brook, MD

A cancer survivor’s perspective on wounded warriors

by | in Physician | one comment

I was at the Walter Reed National Medical Center where I get medical care as a retired naval officer, and decided to use my time between medical appointments to get a much needed haircut. I walked into the barber shop, took a number, and sat down to await my turn. The three chairs were occupied by young men getting haircuts. Their chests and lower bodies were covered with long blue aprons to protect them from the ...

A laryngectomy shakes this physician to the core

by | in Conditions | 3 comments

As an infectious diseases physician with a special interest in head and neck infections, I had extensive experience in otolaryngological illnesses. However, when I was exposed to new, different, and challenging experiences as a neck cancer patient, I had to deal with these as a patient --- not as a physician. I endured the consequences of radiation, repeated surgeries, and prolonged hospitalizations. I confronted medical errors in my care, discrimination ...