So much for doctor-patient confidentiality

Saw this on a Google alert; I don’t read the NY Post so I can avoid stories like this one by Richard Johnson in the Page Six column:

“Botched surgery made Joe DiMaggio impotent”

Yankee icon Joe DiMaggio never got over his heartbreaking marriage to Marilyn Monroe — partly because he was emasculated by a botched surgery, a new book by his close friend Dr. Rock Positano will reveal. [Editor’s note: some close friend.]

Positano — the Hospital for Special Surgery expert known for his non-surgical approach to treating foot disorders — befriended DiMaggio in 1990 when he cured the Yankee Clipper of painful bone spurs. [Editor’s note: herein lies the confidentiality part. Unless the “befriended” part supersedes that.]

Though DiMaggio was famously irascible and standoffish, he took a shine to his fellow Italian-American. During their many meals and travels together, DiMaggio revealed his innermost thoughts to Positano and other members of his “Bat Pack.”

Rock has finally shared his fond memories of DiMaggio with his lawyer brother, John Positano, who wrote it all down in “Dark Icon,” a loving tribute recently sent to publishers. [Editor’s note: I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would consider my good friend’s impotency problem a “fond memory, nor would that be part of a “loving tribute.” But that’s just me.]

Later in his story Johnson thoughftully include this Pulitzer-worthy excerpt:

Once proud of his virility, Joe told a group of dinner companions one night that his formerly impressive equipment was useless.

“Now it just sits there and looks at me. It doesn’t even move anymore.”

With friends like this.

Not having seen the manuscript, I can only comment on what Johnson provides. Is there any corroboration for the author’s claims? Anyone else there who could verify all this? Any recordings?

Knowing how the game works, I wouldn’t be surprised if the book just might be a loving tribute and the Post cherry-picked the most salacious bits.

Johnson notes the manuscript was “recently sent to publishers.” One would hope the mainstream would defer.