My story is long and painful. Every day of my life was filled with pain. Functioning in daily life had become almost unbearable. Even washing dishes was a problem. I was no longer able to fulfill my duties as a wife. I was not able to work regularly and was forced to take a hiatus from continuing my education. I had seen many doctors that had done absolutely nothing for me. They had no care that I was in dire pain. I even had one doctor diagnose that my condition was caused by excess fat, and that my fat was causing my pain! In 2006 I saw a minimum of five gynecologists with varied specialties and not one ever mentioned endometriosis. I had decided that I was going to give up and live in the constant pain. This decision was placing a terrible strain on my marriage! November 2006 was the last time that I was ever going to see a doctor. My family and my husband, however, were not going to allow this! I had been given Dr. Kanayama's name and number by a very close family friend. He had treated her and saved her life. She, like me, had been to numerous doctors to no avail. Finally, to her great relief a stranger gave her Dr. Kanayama’s name. He discovered on her first visit that she was in terrible health from endometriosis. Dr. Kanayama found immediately what no other doctor could diagnose. During surgery he found internal bleeding from a ruptured artery that had been destroyed by the endometriosis. Had he not made this discovery she would have died from internal bleeding… My first visit was the best experience I have ever had in my life at a doctor’s office!!! Within 5 minutes of my examination Dr. Kanayama had pinpointed the exact cause of my suffering. I have been examined by so many doctors and they never could actually pinpoint where my pain was. He was so gentle and caring. After the examination he invited my husband and me to his inner office and explained everything to us. I had a chocolate cyst that had already consumed 50% of my right ovary and that there was endometriosis that he believed was Stage IV (confirmed with surgery), scar tissue and adhesions. He was the most compassionate doctor that I had ever encountered. The office manager is also one of the best I had ever seen – she really worked with me and made the office visit very pleasant. May 24, 2007 was my surgery day. The staff at the Greenwich Hospital could not say enough about Dr. Kanayama. They treated me exceptionally. Prior to the surgery, Dr. Kanayama made sure that I was well informed about the surgical procedure and its outcome. I suffer from a very dangerous heart problem with which sudden death is associated. Anesthesia and surgical procedures can be potentially life-threatening for me and worried me a little. All of my fears were washed away thanks to the competent staff and the anesthesiologist who explained everything to me. Dr. Kanayama went over everything with me again and made sure that I was all right. When they first took me back to the operating room, he went to my husband and mother and personally assured that all would be fine. Never have I been treated so well in a hospital or been so informed. I had no fears at all! In recovery they treated me like a queen, kept me completely pain-free and seemed like could not do enough for me! Doctor Kanayama came in a checked on me again and then went and told everything to my family in the waiting room. He has an incredible bedside manner. That weekend Doctor Kanayama and his Office Manager, Sabrina, kept in touch and called my home to check in on me even though it was a holiday weekend. Lisa Vecchione |