M.D. Leila Mohammadi

My 82-year-old father, Ahmet, fell in the garden and fractured his hip. The ambulance brought him to Acibadem Maslak, and from the moment Dr. Mohammadi met us in the trauma bay, I felt a strange calm. She wasn't just fast; she was deliberate. She explained the complex surgery to my confused father in simple, respectful Turkish, holding his hand while looking at the scans. She coordinated with orthopedics and anesthesiology right there, considering his heart condition. Post-surgery, she checked on him at 11 PM, not because she had to, but because she said she wanted to see his vitals herself. She treated him like a person, not a chart. His recovery was smoother than we dared hope.

Our 7-year-old daughter, Elif, was rushed in after a severe allergic reaction at a birthday party—her face swollen, struggling to breathe. Pure terror. Dr. Mohammadi moved with a focused, quiet intensity that cut through the chaos. She didn't just bark orders; she knelt by the gurney, made eye contact with my terrified little girl, and said softly, 'Merhaba Elif, I'm Leila. We're going to help you breathe better, okay?' That moment of human connection amidst the emergency was everything. She managed the epinephrine, monitored every minute change, and explained each step to us without sugarcoating but with immense reassurance. She stayed until Elif was laughing again, showing her the stethoscope. A guardian angel in scrubs.

I'm a mountaineer. During a climb near Istanbul, I took a serious fall, resulting in a complex, open tibia fracture with potential compartment syndrome. I was a mess of dirt, blood, and pain. Dr. Mohammadi's approach was like a tactical commander assessing a battlefield. She immediately ordered specific imaging, irrigated the wound with meticulous care to prevent infection, and made the critical call for immediate fasciotomy to save my leg, explaining the risks and necessity with brutal clarity I respected. Her follow-up was relentless; she personally reviewed my wound progression daily, adjusting care based on subtle signs. Her expertise wasn't just clinical; it was strategic. She saved my leg and, likely, my passion.

I came to the ER with what I thought was just severe indigestion. Dr. Mohammadi, during a seemingly routine check, noticed a slight asymmetry in my abdominal exam I hadn't even mentioned. Her intuition kicked in. She ordered a specific contrast CT, against initial protocol, and discovered a dissecting abdominal aortic aneurysm—a silent killer. The way she calmly but urgently mobilized the vascular surgery team was breathtaking. She never let panic enter her voice, even when explaining the life-or-death situation to me. Her thoroughness in a routine presentation and her ability to connect disparate clues wasn't just skill; it was artistry. She didn't just treat a symptom; she uncovered and averted a catastrophe I didn't know I was carrying.