To anyone with the same concern
In the consultation room, I try not to speak only of the good things. To someone who has come in ready to decide on surgery, raising concerns first can feel like a burden. But I believe it is better to hear "I didn't even know you'd tell me things like that" before surgery than to hear "no one told me this" afterward. The story of the patient I want to introduce today is a case that reaffirmed that belief.
Complications Were His Biggest Worry
What this patient feared most before surgery was complications. Fortunately, in his case, the recovery proceeded well without the problems he had worried about, and he told me he was satisfied with that. Of course, this was his own course, and the reactions and speed of recovery after surgery differ from person to person. That is why, instead of promising results, we choose to explain in advance what could happen and to prepare for it together. He said that when he opened his eyes, the surgery was already over — he had no memory of the operation itself. He had fallen asleep and woken to find it finished.
He also added that he was grateful we had pointed out the concerns worth watching for during the consultation stage, and he remembered the kindness of the staff as well. The time a patient spends on the operating table is short, but what makes that short time comfortable is the long conversation held beforehand. Someone who already knows what to be careful of, and what course falls within the normal range, does not grow anxious during recovery.
"Hesitation Only Delays Time"
When I asked what he wanted to say to others facing the same struggle, he wrote: "Hesitation only delays time." It is short, but it holds the time he spent wrestling with the decision. That said, this comes purely from his own experience, and whether surgery is needed is something to judge after confirming your own condition through a consultation. The surest way to shorten the time spent hesitating is not resolve, but confirmation.
On His Words of Thanks
At the end of his review, this patient left words of gratitude. But it was he who trusted what we discussed in the consultation room and placed himself in our care, and he who walked the road of recovery all the way through. If anything, the thanks are ours to give.
