The Doctor

 Doctor Rosenstock is a nephrologist with a medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He did his residency at Temple University Hospital, fellowship at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.  He is currently Assistant/Associate Professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, specializing in Glomerulonephritis. Glomerulonephritis is a disease in which tiny filters in the kidneys become inflamed impairing blood filtration.  There are many causes for Glomerulonephritis one of which is GPA ANCA Vasculitis, which also infected my lungs causing nodules, which are small growths and crystals reflecting prior bleeding.

He began treatment on 6/4/2021 with a biopsy of my kidney which came back positive for ANCA Vasculitis which is not cancer. Next was a slow IV drip of Rituximab, a cancer treatment drug for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma that targets and reduces B cells in the immune system.  The first infusion can take 6 hours.  You are given premedication of antihistamines and acetaminophen to prevent or reduce side effects such as Hepatitis B reactivation, and/or  Multifoccal Leukoencephlopathy, a rare brain infection that can cause death or a severe disability.  I also started taking Prednisone orally to reduce inflammation and suppress my overactive immune system.

The treatment of IV Rituximab and prednisone continued for years with frequent blood and urine tests. It was then determined that I was in remission.  How that was determined I wasn’t told at the time just that the treatment was no longer necessary.  I was then weaned off of the prednisone which was a long slow process.  In that two year period I had a heart attack.  A nuclear stress test showed four arterial blockages.  I had open heart surgery and contracted Covid.  I was sent to rehab where I roomed with a man with Covid.  I received therapy bedside for two weeks.  Then Covid cleared and I was sent home.  

Next I started to have some pain in my chest that reminded me of crepitus.  After examination it was discovered that the wiring used to reattach the ribs to my sternum had detached and were ‘floating’ in my chest.  Because of multiple medical issues surgery was not recommended unless I could see the wires in my chest or the pain became unbearable.  So far neither has happened.  

Then there was the hernia.  Because of everything that was happening to my body, my core was weakened and I developed a hernia.  I lived with it for a few months until it became painful and difficult to walk.  I called for an ambulance and unfortunately they sent an NYU ambulance and the only hospital they could take me to was NYU.  They did an X-ray and CT scan; told me I had an incarcerated hernia and a doctor eased it back in.  They kept me overnight for observation and sent me home.  A couple of days later the hernia returned and so did the pain.  They did an X-ray and CT scan, same diagnosis.  No over night stay.  They discharged me at 4 AM.  After shaking off the morphine they gave me I was able to get a ride home.  The pain returned but this time I went to Lenox Hill and Dr. Grinberg surgically removed my now dangerously strangulated hernia.  

Now the antibodies, specifically Myeloperoxidase anti-body has returned.  ANCA Vasculitis is back and I’m waiting on my second round of treatment.