hat I Wish Patients Knew
Part 1: From Your Plastic Surgeon
Welcome to the first edition of What I Wish Patients Knew — a short, sharp series straight from the hearts (and inboxes) of the people who look after you. Next up, you’ll hear from our wound care wizard and our practice manager — the people who make your recovery sing and the clinic run like clockwork.
Today, though, you’re hearing from me: your plastic surgeon. The one who makes the plan, wields the scalpel, and carries the ultimate responsibility for your outcome.
I’m not here to impress you. I’m here to team up with you. Because healing isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something we build — together.
So here’s what I most wish you knew before, during, and after your journey with us.
- Surgery is the easy part. Recovery is where the real work begins.
Operating? That’s my comfort zone. It’s controlled. Precise. Calm.
Recovery? That’s where life barges in —with swelling, itching, logistical chaos, and the sudden need to remember where you left your wound care supplies.
People often underestimate how much planning good healing takes: time off, proper rest, follow-ups, no last-minute holidays. If recovery is rushed or neglected, the best surgery in the world can still unravel.
The theatre isn’t where outcomes are won. It’s what you do after that counts.
- If our timelines clash, it’s not a dealbreaker — it’s a conversation.
I plan your surgery like an engineer —every step mapped out. If I shift a date or delay something, it’s not chaos; it’s care. I’m protecting your result.
If your timeline is carved in stone —“wedding next week,” “flight on Friday” — we may need to talk. We don’t rush. We do it right. And if that means waiting for the right moment, so be it.
- Precision doesn’t clock off after the operation.
I don’t cut corners. I measure twice, cut once, and document everything. I pick my words like I pick my instruments – carefully.
I expect the same from you: follow instructions, show up to reviews, look after your wound like it’s a brand-new investment. (Because it is.)
Precision isn’t a vibe. It’s a strategy.
- If something goes wrong, I don’t shrug. I lose sleep.
Sometimes, even when everyone does everything right, outcomes go sideways. That’s surgery. That’s life.
But I don’t just move on. I replay it, I analyse it, I ask, “What could we have done better?” It matters — because you matter.
Don’t mistake calm for indifference. I’m in this.
- You trust me to cut into your body. I trust you to take that seriously.
That’s no small thing. It’s not a spa treatment. It’s not a favour. It’s trust — the real, heavy kind.
And I meet that trust with everything I’ve got. In return, I ask for one thing: that you bring the same seriousness. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to care.
- You’re not just a case file. You’re a commitment.
Every patient takes up mental real estate. I think about your healing over dinner. I check your photos at night. I worry about your wound care when I should be watching Netflix.
That’s not obsession. That’s investment.You’re not one of many. You’re one of mine.
- My team = my standards.
When our wound care nurse checks your dressing or our practice manager follows up on a form, that’s not “admin.” That’s your care continuing — in capable, experienced, caring hands.
They’re not background staff. They’re co-architects of your outcome. And they deserve every ounce of your respect and attention — same as I do.
- The post-op plan is not a menu. It’s part of your treatment.
Those instructions? They’re not polite suggestions. They are the second half of your surgery.
Ignore them, and you’re not just going off-script — you’re changing the story. And often not for the better.
I know it’s tedious. I know it’s a hassle. But it works. And that’s what we’re here for.
- Results are earned on both sides of the scalpel.
You’ve got a job. I’ve got a job. They overlap — and that sweet spot in the middle? That’s where the magic happens.
I control the technique. You control the conditions. Together, we shape the outcome.
This isn’t a transaction. It’s a partnership.
- Logic before logistics. And definitely before panic.
It’s totally normal to feel nervous or impatient or eager to “just get it over with.” But decisions driven by emotion tend to lead to trouble.
Slow down. Ask questions. Think clearly. Be honest about whether this is the right time for you — practically and emotionally.
If the answer is yes, we’re ready. If not, no pressure. We’ll be here when you are.
“No great thing is created suddenly.” —Epictetus
We’re not in the business of shortcuts. We’re in the business of results worth waiting for.
In Closing
I’m not looking for perfect patients. I’m looking for engaged ones.
If you bring openness, respect, and a willingness to be part of the process, that’s more than enough. That’s exactly what my team and I bring to you — every appointment, every procedure, every follow-up.
Healing takes a village. But it starts with trust.
Thanks for letting us be part of yours.
