Until the Thought Comes: Why Did I Worry All This Time?

Until the Thought Comes: Why Did I Worry All This Time?

 

The moment worry pales

What this patient worried about most before surgery was pain, and his appearance after surgery. But in his review he wrote:

"There was so little pain it made my worry pale, and after confirming the appearance too, the thought even came: why did I worry all this time?"

This is his case, and the degree of pain, the recovery course, and satisfaction with the result can differ for each person. Still, that the size of the worry and the size of the actual experience can differ this much is a part I truly want to convey to those who've long hesitated.

What became of the worry about anesthesia

This patient said he also worried about the anesthesia. But once it was over, he said it was nothing.

Gynecomastia surgery is done under local anesthesia with an injection around the areola. The last words the patient hears before surgery are the single line, "This will sting, please bear with just this part." The actual operating time is about thirty minutes, and through years of accumulated surgical know-how I've reduced the time considerably. Because a shorter operation is safer for the patient, I regard this part as important. The more someone worried greatly about the anesthesia, the more they tend to feel deflated once it's over.

 

A clinic of all male staff

Another thing this patient wrote about with impression was that every staff member he met, from consultation to recovery, was without exception kind, and that the staff were all male.

A chest worry is a hard thing to bring up to others. Before a fellow man, you can speak a little less self-consciously. This is why TRUEMAN Daegu is run with only male staff.

We hear praise about kindness now and then, and I think there's a specific reason for it. We hold as our motto the resolve to approach every surgery with the heart that a member of our own family is having surgery, and we regularly train the staff in kindness and in thinking from the patient's point of view. Whether it's being kept well is something I think we must always check.

The afternoon he tried on a short-sleeve shirt

During recovery, you wear the compression garment in keeping with the wear guidelines. This patient, following the wear guidance, made one small attempt during a time he was allowed to briefly take the garment off.

"I took off the compression garment for a moment and tried on a short-sleeve shirt. It felt so good."

The longer someone has deliberated, the more change is felt in such small moments. Of course, wearing the compression garment during recovery is an important process for protecting the result, so enjoy that joy within the guidelines we've advised.

It's true the garment is uncomfortable. But it's a necessary process to press the skin, stretched after surgery, closely against the chest so it adheres, so I always explain the reason. For 12 to 48 hours right after surgery there is a risk of bleeding, so we compress the chest and abdomen twice over, but when you come in the next day and we check for bleeding and remove the extra compression, it becomes much more comfortable.

 

The last line, read with a smile

This patient left words to others with the same worry, to the effect that they shouldn't worry too much and should decide. This came from his experience, and whether to have surgery is best decided after confirming your own condition through an examination.

And the last line of his review was this:

"May the doctor earn lots of money and the staff take home big paychecks."

I read this sentence in the consultation room and laughed for a good while. That sentiment, I'll gratefully accept.

I think no clinic can be perfect for every patient. But we strive to leave nothing wanting for each and every one, so I hope you won't be afraid and will visit with ease.