“Of all the experiences, it was the best experience”, is what Michael Gringas said after having a rare surgery performed on him at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in July. Mr. Gringas was exiting the shower in his home when he passed out, hitting his face on the bathroom wall. “I knew I was going to pass out”, he said. This was due to a combination of dehydration, not eating, and Crohn’s disease which he suffers from. Unfortunately for Mr. Gringas, he was home alone at the time. When he eventually came to, he immediately called his sister’s house. Thankfully, his nephew answered and rushed to take him to the emergency room, where he received amazing and attentive care from the staff at the hospital. “I was impressed by the ER response time from start to finish. Very happy. I was treated very well by everyone in the ER”, he said.

This isn’t the first time Mr. Gringas had to be admitted to Flushing Hospital Medical Center due to his Crohn’s disease. He’s previously had surgeries performed to treat complications associated with the illness. This time, the surgery was an open surgery which hasn’t been done in 15-20 years at the hospital because it has since been performed endoscopically. The operation although rare and complex, was successful. “The whole process was beyond great”, said Mr. Gringas.

Additionally, Mr. Gringas has been a patient of Flushing Hospital for 33 years, since he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 1991. He is known as a “celebrity patient” at the hospital. Mr. Gringas, a native of Bayside, Queens, says he is a “very fortunate Crohn’s patient”. So he uses his experiences during his 33-year battle with the illness to counsel patients diagnosed with it. He wants to help others navigate their experience with Crohn’s. Reflecting on the last 33 years he says, “It’s been quite a ride over the years.” “There are a lot of great people at Flushing Hospital”, Mr. Gringas said and he would like to thank each doctor, nurse, and hospital staff member whom he has met over the past 33 years.

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