Karyn Michelle Strasen, MD

When taking an Alaskan cruise we never expected a real adventure. Our 14 year old son’s stomach and back began hurting after a few days, and, being a physician myself, I realized after a while something was very wrong. The cruise ship doctor advised us to disembark in Ketchikan and get a CT scan at the ER. The scan was unhelpful, leaving appendicitis a possibility. My wife and I felt so worried and uncertain for our son. The ER doctor called in Dr. K. Michelle Strasen who was there within an hour. From the moment she walked into the room at 11pm we knew we were in good hands. Respectful, confident, gentle, thoughtful, considerate and decisive in her recommendations. Dr. Strasen reported that it was an unusual presentation, and the CT scan was nondiagnostic, but because of her extensive clinical experience she still believed it was probably appendicitis. Even though it would mean calling in the night team, she offered emergency surgery as a viable option, while also providing us with options for hospital observation or a transfer to a larger institution. Her recommendations were measured, thorough, and very helpful in making a decision we felt comfortable with. We felt confident in her judgment and skills and decided on emergency surgery. The team was assembled with amazing efficiency, and within 2 hours, my son’s appendix was removed just before it had a chance to burst. Dr. Strasen watched us closely in the hospital, visiting us several times to monitor my son’s postoperative exam. We were out by evening! I’ve worked with countless surgeons in my career and it was very impressive to see someone so professional and efficient waste no time in helping my son get better even at an inconvenience to herself and her staff. She exemplifies what being a good surgeon is all about. Thank you, Dr. Strasen.

When taking an Alaskan cruise we never expected a real adventure. Our 14 year old son’s stomach and back began hurting after a few days, and, being a physician myself, I realized after a while something was very wrong. The cruise ship doctor advised us to disembark in Ketchikan and get a CT scan at the ER. The scan was unhelpful, leaving appendicitis a possibility. My wife and I felt so worried and uncertain for our son. The ER doctor called in Dr. K. Michelle Strasen who was there within an hour. From the moment she walked into the room at 11pm we knew we were in good hands. Respectful, confident, gentle, thoughtful, considerate and decisive in her recommendations. Dr. Strasen reported that it was an unusual presentation, and the CT scan was nondiagnostic, but because of her extensive clinical experience she still believed it was probably appendicitis. Even though it would mean calling in the night team, she offered emergency surgery as a viable option, while also providing us with options for hospital observation or a transfer to a larger institution. Her recommendations were measured, thorough, and very helpful in making a decision we felt comfortable with. We felt confident in her judgment and skills and decided on emergency surgery. The team was assembled with amazing efficiency, and within 2 hours, my son’s appendix was removed just before it had a chance to burst. Dr. Strasen watched us closely in the hospital, visiting us several times to monitor my son’s postoperative exam. We were out by evening! I’ve worked with countless surgeons in my career and it was very impressive to see someone so professional and efficient waste no time in helping my son get better even at an inconvenience to herself and her staff. She exemplifies what being a good surgeon is all about. Thank you, Dr. Strasen.