Kristin Karlyn, MD

March 12, 2024 A Tribute to Dr. Kristin Karlyn, M.D. Several examples of exemplary care stand out: The first occurred about 15 years ago. I had been exposed to measles, and it was a big concern in our area. Although I had been inoculated as a child, I was having symptoms of the disease. My eyesight was affected, I had a fever, and spots were appearing on my body. I lived alone, and it was important to monitor my symptoms, without panicking and trying to find out more as to what course of action to take. It was Easter Sunday, and Dr. Karlyn stayed on the phone with me to evaluate my condition. I could not go to the hospital as the possibility of contagion was severe. I understood Dr. Karlyn was caring for me at the expense of spending time with her family on this important holiday. She was consistently in contact with me for almost three hours. The outcome was positive, and I am sure part that the reason I healed so quicky was because of the exceptional care and concern I received during this time. -------------------------------------------------------- The second example of above-and-beyond care is as follows: In December of 2021 I had surgery which resulted in an infection. Because my surgeon was negligent in post operative care, Dr. Karlyn was in contact with me daily. Eventually, I became quite ill and could not reach my surgeon. He lived and practiced in a town almost two hours away. Dr. Karlyn ultimately admitted me into the hospital, as I was becoming septic. She had kept in touch with me for over three weeks as my condition worsened. She took care of each step of my hospital admittance. I was greeted in the waiting room of the hospital and taken immediately to a private room. Although the case belonged to another M.D., Dr. Karlyn made sure of each doctor and nurse who cared for me while at Huntington Hospital. I was hospitalized with a serious infection for over 11 days. I was later to find out the M.D. who came to my room each evening to see how I was doing was a friend of Dr. Karlyn’s and had no obligation to check in on me. She was not part of the surgical and medical team, yet she held a prestigious position at Huntington Hospital. She was reporting to Dr. Karlyn about my progress each day. While Dr. Karlyn had a relationship with Huntington Hospital and had privileges at this hospital, she was tactful enough not to question or bother the team who cared for me, yet supervised and oversaw my progress through her friend who visited me each evening. She was also responsive to every question I had about my care during my hospital stay and afterwards when and if I contacted her. I am very lucky and grateful to have Dr. Karlyn as my friend and physician. She has now been my primary care physician for over 22 years.

A few days before Christmas I noticed I had blood in my urine. The morning of December 26th I texted Dr Karlyn. She responded almost immediately with a tentative diagnosis (bladder cancer) and ordered a urine test and an ultrasound scan of the pelvic area. By the afternoon of Thursday the 28th I had most of the results and it did indeed look like I had a tumor in my bladder. That same day she helped me arrange an appointment with a specialist she recommended, Dr. Satterthwaite, forJanuary 10th. He subsequently scoped the bladder and confirmed the presence of a tumor. We then scheduled the operation for January 23rd. I was home that same evening, greatly relieved to know that the tumor was an early stage cancer and it had been removed. This is how medicine should work!

Dr. Karlyn once shared that her middle name is Joy, and that describes her perfectly. Seeing her is more than an appointment, for it’s like a visit with someone who truly cares for you. The first several months of 2023 were very stressful because I had fallen three times, one of the falls needing staples in my noggin, and I needed a separate stay at the hospital due to a heart problem. Added to this, I suffered through some bad side effects from a drug prescribed by another doctor. Through it all, Dr. Karlyn’s easy going and warm personality kept my spirits up. Her recommendations for doctors I needed to monitor kidney and heart conditions have been excellent, adding to a further sense of security. Dr. Karlyn and her staff managing the front desk and lab work, have been efficient, friendly, and helpful. They’ve worked as a team to help all of my past medical mishaps go down easier like a spoonful of sugar. I call that Joy.

Dr. Karlyn displays genuine concern for my health, and responds quickly to my email questions. I feel much better knowing she is in my corner. Living with my various chronic conditions is very challenging and I can’t begin to imagine how difficult it would be without her guidance.