Do the Surgeons Remember?

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J

Jkm7

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2005
Messages
4,384
Location
Massachusetts
Now that I am coming up to almost four months post op and (knock wood) am doing very well, I'd like to write a note to my surgeon again thanking him for the two surgeries he has done for me within four years.

But, I wonder. He has moved on to all his other patients and think he well might not even remember my name?

Four months is how many other patients later?? I doubt I left any last memory on him.....I'm just an average person with an average case except for being a re-op for him within not that long a time.

Did you write any thanks to your surgeon?
 
I sent my whole surgery team a thank you card. They sent one back saying how happy they were that I was doing so good. Really meant alot to me. So I would encourage you to send a thank you they would enjoy it.
 
I sent a big thank you basket to the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at Toronto General Hospital, which covered Dr. David, his surgical staff, and all the hospital staff. I also sent a basket to the emergency ICU at Joesph Brant Hospital in Burlington Ontario who first looked after me when I had the pericardial tamponade, before they shipped me back by ambulance to Toronto. I never heard back, but I'm sure they appreciated the gestered. Besides, it made me feel good after they did so much for me, particularly since we have a public health care system so none of this cost me anything personally. It seemed the least I could do.
 
I think they will remember the long, high risk, complex, difficult, seat of the pants type surgeries. My surgeons greeting is usually along the 'Hello Simon, worse case of Endocarditis I've ever seen' lines.
Methinks it would be best not to be remembered. :rolleyes: :D
 
Bonzo Dog said:
I think they will remember the long, high risk, complex, difficult, seat of the pants type surgeries. My surgeons greeting is usually along the 'Hello Simon, worse case of Endocarditis I've ever seen' lines.
Methinks it would be best not to be remembered. :rolleyes: :D
Click to expand...
LOL Simon. I can hear the conversation now...

Cardiologist: Do you remember Ms Smith?
Surgeon: What did I do to her, again?
Cardio: She's the one who clogged up with pannus.
Surgeon: Oh yes, I remember Medtronic valve and root 21mm, heart had a quirky beat, too.
 
It really doesn't matter whether he remembers the specifics - he'll get that you've thanked him, something people often don't bother to do. That's a gift to him. And it feels good to do be in touch with your own gratitude. Don't underestimate your impact.
 
It would be nice if he remembered. But the point is that YOU remember him! My son is a paramedic/firefighter and when he gets a pat on the back as he did a short time ago when he kept a young high school student alive who literally "died" on a heroin overdose, you would not believe the pride he felt in knowing all the training and effort he put in to his education had paid off in saving a life.
 
I have stayed in touch with my last surgeon and he remembers everytime I write. He has always been very appreciative of hearing success stories so I encourage you to write to yours.
 
WHether he remembers you or not, you remember him. Your thank you note/letter will go in your file and he will be happy to have gotten it. Guaranteed. How many of them get a thank you for saving lives. We fuss about our doctors but we do love them or at least like them. Nice of you to think of it.
 
I stayed in touch w/my first surgeon (Dr. Cooley) all thru the years.

I remember sending him a picture of Bill & I when we got married in 1980 but I never heard anything back from him.

Well, when we went up for my 3rd surgery in 2006 & we went in to see him, I asked him if he remembered me because of course I was using a different last name back in 75'. He pulled out the photograph from his file & said, "off course I remember you --- how could I forget you were wearing my "signature" valves!" My eyes teared up & off course I got up to give him a big hug! He was one magnificent surgeon in his days (he's 93 yrs old now & doesn't do any more surgeries) & a more magnificent human being!

I would definitely recommend to you that you send yours a little update from time to time on your well being. I'm sure they like that! :)
 
I sent my surgeon and my cardiologist thank you cards with a picture of me and Tank running our first post-op agility trial. They LOVED it, the Surgeon said he kept it on the bulletin board in his office.
I sent a fruit bouquet to my pulmonologist, who realized I had a heart issue and referred me to my cardiologist (I ordered it from my hospital room, the day after I was admitted, two days after diagnosis). I figured he saved my life, since my internist completely misdiagnosed me and ignored my suggestion that my problem was cardiac. The pulmonologist was delighted.
Every now and then I get a thank you note from a client, and yes, it does mean a lot, no matter your line of work.
 
I sent Dick's surgeon and cardio a picture of Dick playing tennis when he first started back and a thank you for allowing it to happen.
 
This is very obviously not what you are talking about but its along the same lines.

In 1987 I had surgery for infertility reasons. I had several small operations for investigation purposes but then had an operation which took over 5 hours to complete and gave me just under 50/50 chance of concieving a baby. I knew the odds going into it but I just had to at least try. Well, in 1990 I had my gorgeous baby girl Sarah (now 18, but just as gorgeous) so I sent a card and a photograph of her to the surgeon . He sent me back a lovely letter and said he would put Sarah's photo up on the board. She could very well be there to this day.

Oh happy days........:cool:
 
If you are thankful, please send the note.

If you are thankful, please send the note.

Please do send a nice note to your surgeon.

Al sent a note with a picture to his surgeon. The surgeon responded with a note and a picture of himself, which we still have.

I'm sure that Al's surgeon remembered him and me too because my surgeon volunteered to be the Assistant surgeon for Al's valve replacement.

Blanche
 
A week after my surgery, I sent a thank-you note to my surgeon. I had my after-surgery appointment with him FIVE months after the surgery (it was supposed to be two months but being the head of surgery, he is always busy). In any case, I came in with a bottle of port wine for him, and as he thanked me for that, he said "and thank you for the card you sent me"!!! Then when I was leaving, he thanked me again for the card!!!!
 
As I approach my third anniversary I thought about writing to my surgeon thanking him and letting him know that I am still doing well. Unlike the cardiologists they lose contact with the patients so it must be nice for them if they get a thank you card or letter telling them of progress.
 
I took out my note cards and intend to write my surgeon a note this weekend and send a note to the staff on the surgical cardiac floor at Mass General. The care I received from both was amazing.

Thanks for your comments. They mean a lot.
 
Shame on me!! I never wrote a thank you note to my surgeon. I have been back to MGH several times and a few times I have seen him gave him a brief update of how I was doing and said thanks as I was running by him to another appointment. I always thank my NP in my cardiologist at MGH, she is incredible and takes such good care of me.
 
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