To wear a T-shirt comfortably. That was all he wanted.

I closed my eyes, and it was over

When I asked which moment of the surgery stayed with him, his answer was one line.

"I really just closed my eyes and opened them and the surgery was over — that's what I remember."

Before surgery, what he had worried about was complications. Given how large that worry had been, the fact that his memory of the operation comes down to this single line means something to us. Of course, worry about complications is not something to be smothered by more worry. The right approach is to reduce it step by step by confirming your own condition and hearing a proper explanation at a pre-surgical examination. This patient went through that process as well.

What he liked about his first visit was also brief

When I asked what he liked about his first visit, he said the staff were kind and the atmosphere felt comfortable.

Even on what he liked at his first visit, the answer was short

It is a short answer, but we take it seriously. What eases the tension of walking through a clinic door for the first time is not an elaborate explanation, but exactly this kind of comfort.

What he most wanted to do after surgery

His answer to this question was the shortest in the review, and the one that stayed with me longest.

It is not a grand ambition. Something that means nothing to most people was, for a man who had been uncomfortable about his chest for years, a wish worth deciding on surgery for.

What he most wants to do after surgery

When I asked what he hoped for from us

To others with the same concern, he left an answer along the lines of recommending the surgery. That said, this was his own experience, and whether surgery is appropriate should be decided after confirming your own condition through an examination.

Finally, when I asked what he would like from the clinic, his answer was this:

"Nothing — you're already doing well."

That last line in a short review remains our longest assignment. We will practice in a way that keeps those words from ever becoming an embarrassment. This was this patient's outcome; results and recovery vary from person to person. If a single short-sleeved shirt is what makes summer difficult for you, please come in and talk with us with an easy mind.

- Dr. Shim Young-jin, TRUEMAN Myeongdong -