Patient Experience
I arrived at Medical Park Bahçelievler hemorrhaging at 11 weeks pregnant, certain I was losing my baby. The ER called Dr. Cam at midnight. She rushed in wearing casual clothes, her calm presence cutting through the panic. Ultrasound revealed a subchorionic hematoma and placenta previa. 'We have two patients to stabilize,' she said firmly. Instead of standard bed rest, she designed a precise protocol: specific positioning, monitored medications, and weekly Doppler scans to track placental blood flow. For eight critical weeks, she answered my 3 AM anxiety texts personally. The hematoma resolved; the placenta migrated. I'm now holding my healthy son, born via her planned C-section at 39 weeks. She fights for miracles with science and profound compassion.
As a transgender man seeking hysterectomy, I faced endless gatekeeping. Dr. Cam reviewed my file without hesitation. 'Your body, your autonomy,' was her first response. She navigated hospital protocols others called 'impossible,' securing necessary approvals. The surgery itself was technically complex due to previous testosterone therapy affecting tissue, she adapted her approach in real-time. Post-op, when a nurse misgendered me, Dr. Cam immediately corrected her and posted pronouns on my door. At my six-week follow-up, she discussed not just healing but how the procedure aligned with my overall gender-affirming care. In a field where many doctors see only organs, she sees the human inhabiting them. She provided not just surgery but dignity.
A 28-year-old female professional freediver presented with recurrent syncope during deep dives. Dr. Ozay discovered a rare patent foramen ovale with a dynamic shunt that only opened under extreme pressure changes. Using a custom 3D-printed model of her heart from her MRI, he simulated dive conditions to plan a minimally invasive closure. Post-procedure, she successfully returned to competitive freediving within three months, now monitoring her condition with a specialized dive computer.
A 72-year-old retired shipyard welder from a coastal village had severe aortic stenosis but refused surgery due to a lifelong fear of hospitals stemming from a childhood trauma. Dr. Ozay arranged for the patient's grandson, a naval cadet, to be present and explain the procedure using maritime analogies. They performed a transcatheter aortic valve replacement while the patient listened to sea shanties. The patient recovered fully and later volunteered at the hospital to reassure other fearful patients.
A 19-year-old university student and amateur boxer was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after collapsing during training. Genetic testing revealed a novel mutation. Dr. Ozay collaborated with a sports cardiologist to design a hybrid treatment: a septal myectomy followed by a tailored rehabilitation program that allowed the patient to coach boxing safely but not compete. The patient now leads a university cardiac health awareness group.
A 45-year-old nomadic beekeeper with no fixed address presented with endocarditis from an unknown source. Dr. Ozay discovered the infection was from rare soil bacteria found only in specific highland regions. By tracking the patient's migration route with his family, they identified the source. After a complex valve repair and targeted antibiotics, the patient returned to beekeeping with modified protective equipment and a GPS health tracker provided by the hospital's outreach program.
An 8-year-old child from a refugee family had a complex congenital heart defect previously deemed inoperable in their home country. Dr. Ozay led a multidisciplinary team including a pediatric anthropologist to navigate cultural and language barriers. Using a novel tissue-engineered patch grown from the child's own cells, they performed a successful corrective surgery. The child's recovery was celebrated with a traditional ceremony organized by the hospital's cultural liaison team.
A 33-year-old pregnant woman in her third trimester developed peripartum cardiomyopathy with rapidly deteriorating function. Dr. Ozay coordinated with obstetricians to perform an emergency cesarean section followed immediately by left ventricular assist device implantation in the same hybrid operating room. Both mother and baby survived. The mother's heart function partially recovered, allowing device removal after six months. She documented her journey in a blog supporting other women with cardiac conditions.
A 60-year-old famous ceramic artist with severe mitral valve regurgitation refused surgery fearing hand tremors from cardiopulmonary bypass. Dr. Ozay pioneered a robotic-assisted repair using a modified perfusion strategy that minimized bypass time and maintained higher cerebral perfusion pressure. The surgery was successful without neurological sequelae. The patient returned to creating intricate pottery and donated a piece to the hospital's cardiac rehabilitation center.
A 41-year-old long-haul truck driver presented with a giant ascending aortic aneurysm discovered incidentally during a DOT physical. He had no insurance and couldn't afford time off work. Dr. Ozay worked with hospital administration to create a financial assistance plan and arranged for the patient's trucking company to provide temporary light-duty work post-surgery. The aortic root replacement used a valve-sparing technique, preserving the patient's native valve and avoiding anticoagulation.
A 52-year-old vegan marathon runner with progressive heart failure was found to have cardiac sarcoidosis masquerading as ischemic cardiomyopathy. Standard steroids conflicted with his ethical beliefs about animal-derived medications. Dr. Ozay worked with pharmacists to source plant-based corticosteroids and designed an immunosuppression regimen compatible with vegan principles. Combined with cardiac resynchronization therapy, the patient returned to running half-marathons within a year.
A 29-year-old cybersecurity expert with Marfan syndrome developed an acute type A dissection while working remotely from a mountain cabin. Dr. Ozay guided local medics via telemedicine to initiate stabilization, then coordinated an air ambulance transfer. During emergency surgery, they discovered an unusually fragile aortic tissue requiring a modified surgical technique with additional reinforcement. The patient recovered fully and developed a cardiac monitoring app for people with connective tissue disorders.
An 81-year-old former ballet master with severe tricuspid valve disease and right heart failure had extreme frailty and cachexia. Conventional surgery was deemed too high risk. Dr. Ozay performed a novel percutaneous tricuspid valve repair using a device not yet approved in Turkey, obtained through a compassionate use program. Combined with a tailored nutrition and prehabilitation program, the patient regained enough strength to teach seated ballet classes at a community center.
A 37-year-old professional video game streamer presented with unexplained cardiomyopathy. Investigation revealed excessive energy drink consumption (12+ daily) and extreme sedentary lifestyle during marathon streaming sessions. Dr. Ozay created a 'cardiac rehab gamification' program where the patient's exercise metrics integrated with his streaming setup. After six months of lifestyle modification and medical therapy, his ejection fraction normalized. He now streams about heart health awareness to his large following.
A 63-year-old grandmother caring for her four grandchildren after their parents' death developed critical triple vessel disease. She couldn't afford extended recovery time. Dr. Ozay performed off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting on all three vessels in a single procedure, minimizing recovery time. The hospital's social work department arranged temporary childcare support during her hospitalization. She returned to caregiving within three weeks and participates in a support group for caregiver cardiac health.
As a 78-year-old retired maritime historian, I presented with what I thought was simple fatigue. Dr. Gokturk discovered a rare paraneoplastic syndrome linked to an undiagnosed neuroendocrine tumor. Her ability to connect my neurological symptoms with an underlying cancer saved my life. She coordinated with oncology while managing my complex internal medicine needs with astonishing precision.
Our 8-year-old daughter, a chess prodigy, began having unexplained abdominal crises before tournaments. Pediatricians found nothing. Dr. Gokturk, consulting from internal medicine, identified abdominal migraine, a condition rarely diagnosed in children. She crafted a non-pharmacological management plan involving hydration and controlled breathing that let our daughter compete without fear.
A 45-year-old software engineer, I was the 'healthy' one until I collapsed at work. Rushed to Medical Park, Dr. Gokturk diagnosed Addisonian crisis, my adrenal glands had failed. She explained this lifelong condition to me with flowcharts she drew herself, turning complex endocrinology into a manageable system. Her emergency intervention and subsequent hormone replacement plan gave me my life back.
My 91-year-old grandmother, a Holocaust survivor with deep medical distrust, developed refractory heart failure. Dr. Gokturk spent hours listening to her life story first, building unprecedented rapport. She then created a personalized diuretic schedule that respected my grandmother's rituals, improving her quality of life dramatically without a single hospital readmission in six months.
As a 33-year-old professional pastry chef, I developed strange episodes of confusion and sweating. Dr. Gokturk suspected insulinoma before any test confirmed it. She had me document my symptoms alongside my baking schedule, revealing the tumor's activity pattern. Her surgical referral was perfectly timed, and her dietary guidance post-surgery helped me reinvent my career around stable blood sugar.