When Michael Lusk was a teenager at Naples High School in the early 1970s he loved science fiction and computers, and he already knew what he wanted to be: a brain surgeon. Lusk is a board-certified neuro- surgeon with Neuroscience and Spine Associates. For the past 25 years, he has performed thousands of surgeries on brains, herniated discs, fractured necks, misaligned spines, and pinched nerves. “I’ll operate on a 100-year-
old if they’re spry, healthy, and enjoying their life,” Lusk says, and not long ago he did just that. His patient was 99-and-a- half and suffering from a fractured spine. Other surgeons had refused to operate, but Lusk said, “I can do this under local anesthesia and you’ll be at your next birthday party with a smile,” which is exactly what happened. When the patient turned 100, Lusk received a birthday card that simply said, “Thank you.” For years, Carol Kirchdorfer
has seen Lusk for lower back pain, but it’s what Lusk did for Kirchdorfer’s son that won her allegiance. Kevin was experiencing severe pain in his
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neck and numbness in his arm and leg. An MRI revealed a bulging disc in his neck, and Lusk insisted on operating right away. “If he hadn’t done the surgery immediately,” Kirchdorfer says, “the bulge would have ruptured, and Kevin would have been paralyzed.” In addition to his “brilliant decision- making, fast-acting response, and ability to communicate,” Kirchdorfer commends Lusk’s compassionate manner. She explains, “There are those that bandage your arm and never think of you later. Mike’s follow- through and his caring heart make him a doctor that stands far above the others.” Every few days, Lusk is on
call at Physicians Regional Medical Center, offering his expertise for any neurological injuries that come into the emergency room. One in 20 of those patients will require surgery, which he performs. In
his office, he sees about 2,500 new patients per year, many complaining of weakness or pain caused by atrophied muscles, others experiencing the natural aging process, or victims of traumatic injuries. One in 10 will require surgery. Smokers are particularly vulnerable. “Nicotine turns discs into beef jerky,” says Lusk. “It’s like leaving a bungee cord out in the sun; the discs become dry and brittle.” Lusk didn’t choose neuro-
surgery because it was easy. “You’ve got to have a lot of chutzpah to take a living human being and cut them open, knowing that you’re going to make them better, and also knowing that 1 in 100 are going to have a complication. There’s nothing worse than a complication. I don’t know of a surgeon that doesn’t beat himself up when that happens.” Throughout his career, Lusk
has faced life-and-death situations with patients who were terminal, could not be helped by surgery, were facing challenging recoveries, or had lost hope. Lusk’s warmth, humor, and easy bedside manner were always up to the task. “The absolute hardest thing is when somebody has brain cancer or they’ve had a bad head injury, and I’ve got to tell them that they’re not going to make it, or that their loved one is brain dead. You just do your best to get them through it.” When faced with excruciating
pain, a complicated surgery, and rehabilitation, some patients understandably get discouraged. But when the prognosis is good, Lusk steps in with a positive out- look. “You’re going to be okay,” he’ll say. “We can make you better. Life is still worth living.” The smart kid from Naples
High achieved his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. In the process, he deepened his understanding of what it is to be a caring human being and is well on his way to fulfilling another one of his goals – “leaving the world better than you found it.”
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