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Ken Dirlam, MD remembered as compassionate, intuitiveNew Ulm Medical Center physicians, staff and patients lost a long-time, well-respected family medicine physician when Ken Dirlam, MD, died at the age of 53 in late July. Dirlam built a large practice of devoted patients over his 23 years at NUMC. Those who worked with him and those who relied on him for their healthcare needs remember him as passionate about medicine and his patients, as well as many other aspects of his life. “I think his patients knew that he just really cared about them. He took the time with them, listened to them and never made them feel rushed,” said Stacy Kraus, LPN, who was Dirlam’s primary nurse in the clinic. “He often took care of the whole family and really got to know the whole family.” The Osborne family of New Ulm is a perfect example of this point. Dirlam delivered seven of their eight children. “He has been our doctor for 18 years. Medically he was really on top of things – he seemed very intuitive. Whenever we came in with a problem, he could take care of it,” said Linda Osborne. “On a personal level, he was kind and concerned and was always interested in what the family was up to.” Children were a special interest of Dirlam’s – not only delivering them into the world, but caring for them afterward. “He would really light up when a child would warm up to him,” Kraus said. Indeed, Osborne said her children never felt like it was “scary” to go to the doctor. “Right away he would come down to their level and talk to them and make sure they were comfortable before getting down to business,” she said. Anita Longtin of New Ulm, agreed that her children Sarah, 8 and Brian, 5, always looked forward to visiting with Dr. Dirlam. He was the family’s doctor for 10 years, Longtin said, “and we feel so fortunate to have had him in our lives those 10 years. I feel like I have not just lost a doctor or a friend, but like I’ve lost my dad. He helped us through so much.” Dirlam delivered all four of Longtin’s children, one of whom was a stillborn baby girl named Allison in November of 2005. Their baby Isabelle was the very last baby he delivered in July before he passed away. “People ask me if I look at Isabelle and think of Allison and I say ‘No, I look at her and I just thank God that we had Ken as our doctor – that he supported us through such a difficult time in our lives and then helped us move on to such a joyous time,’” Longtin said. “If we hadn’t had him as our doctor, I don’t know if we would have had Isabelle.” Longtin will long hold onto the memory of Dirlam’s compassion and respect during the difficult period following the stillbirth of her daughter. “He grieved right along with us. He made sure we took time with her and kept mementos to remember her by. He really gave us the support we needed and when we were ready to have another baby he encouraged us and helped us through that fourth pregnancy.” Longtin remembered with amusement that Dirlam had been on vacation just before Isabelle was born and when he got back, he said he was glad he had made it on time to deliver her because “he didn’t want to miss the big party.” On a professional level, Dirlam had the respect of his colleagues who would often confer with him. “He was an intellectual and was well-respected. It is such a loss to the medical center to lose someone who is so knowledgeable and devoted.” said Karl Papierniak, MD, a close friend and colleague of Dirlam’s. “He lived life to the fullest, having a passion for so many things: his medical practice, photography, golf, hunting, fishing, to name a few.” Papierniak also spoke of Dirlam’s other passion in life: his family. “He talked of his family so often and how proud he was of them,” Papierniak said. Dirlam is survived by his wife Shauna and their children Carly and Philip. “The schedule of a family practice physician who is on call to deliver babies does not always lend itself well to being a parent. But he always made time for his family – they were so important to him.” He even spoke proudly of his family with his patients, Osborne said. “He was also an inspiration for living life in the moment – seizing the day,” she said. “He even told me once, ‘take the time to get away and have fun with your family, don’t put it off for when you think you’ll have more time or more money.’ He will continue to be an inspiration to me in that respect.” Dirlam’s influence spread well beyond the confines of the New Ulm Medical Center. “You can just sense his presence in the community,” Longtin said. “There are a lot of great doctors there and I’m sure we’ll be well taken care of,” Osborne said. “But Dr. Dirlam was certainly one of a kind.” |
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New Ulm Medical Center
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