Truman Customer Story Column
There Was No Time to Count
It had been a while since a post-surgery questionnaire made me laugh.
It came from a patient who recently had gynecomastia surgery with us, and every sentence had wit in it. Yet between those cheerful lines sat the worries that almost everyone carries before surgery, and the way those worries came undone. Today’s story is his.
Before Surgery
“I Was Worried It Wouldn’t Work, or Would Look Terrible”
When I asked what worried him most before surgery, this is what he wrote.
“I was worried it wouldn’t work, or that it would leave a lot of scarring.”
What if the surgery does nothing? What if it leaves a scar instead? The two worries I hear most often from people considering gynecomastia surgery fit into that single line. That is why, before surgery, we assess the condition of the tissue precisely and explain from the outset where the incision will be placed and how far it will extend. Because results can differ from person to person, we held a consultation about which approach suited his case before proceeding to surgery.
At the Clinic
The Impression of a Clinic Focused on Men
When I asked how the clinic felt on his first visit, he said what stayed with him was the impression of a clinic focused on treating men.
A space where people with the same concern come and go, and staff who handle that concern as a matter of routine. What he meant was that the awkwardness of walking through the door for the first time was much lighter. Making it unremarkable to bring up the subject of one’s chest is the atmosphere we want to protect.
Surgery Day
He Asked Us to Count, and We Didn’t
When I asked what moment stood out during the surgery, his answer was this.
“I asked them to count for me during the surgery, and they didn’t, which was disappointing.”
Let me use this space to explain: it was not that we would not, but that we could not. Most patients are asleep before we get past “one, two,” so there was simply no time to count. Many people are anxious about sedation, but in practice it passes so quickly that it ends up as a joke like this one.
After Surgery
A Fresh Start
In the box asking what he most wanted to do after surgery, there was one short, confident line. He wanted to go out and meet someone new.
I read it with a smile, but I was glad to see that answer. When the worry that made him mind his clothes and hunch his shoulders lifts, the way he stands in front of other people changes first. Confidence, in the end, starts in places like that.
For those with the same concern, he left this advice: do it as soon as you can, but do it in winter. Given the compression garment worn for a while after surgery, it is true that the cooler months are easier than the hot ones, so it is a sensible tip. That said, the season and the temperature do not change the surgery itself or the course of recovery; the procedure is carried out the same way at any time of year.
Finally, when I asked what he would like from the clinic, he answered with a joke: “Lower prices?” I cannot promise a discount, but I can promise that we will explain costs transparently and accurately from the very first consultation. Thank you for such a good-humored questionnaire. Next time you visit, I will count for you if you like. Though I doubt you will make it to three.
— Dr. Yoo Seok-seon, TRUEMAN Gangnam —
