Perhaps I am being uncharitable, but that sounds like a completely bogus rejection

When one party holds all the cards (ability to conduct surgery) and another party holds no cards (request for surgery), the first party can say and do just about anything they want. All I could do was nod my head and say yes, okay, yes, I understand, yes, okay, yes, I understand, okay for a month and then I got what I wanted.

I fear I have contributed to taking this thread too far from its original topic.