For at least 10 years, I talked about having the hammertoe on my right foot surgically repaired.
My previous experience with an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon had been terrible. It was such a difficult experience that I had convinced myself I would never have that surgery again. I was, quite honestly, traumatized by the thought of going through it a second time.
Over the years, while I was receiving injections in my right foot to help with the pain and inflammation, you patiently explained that there was now a newer and much better surgical technique and procedure. We had this same conversation for years—and I kept finding reasons not to do it.
Then, one day, I simply said, "OK, let's do this." And just like that, my hammertoe surgery was on the calendar.
When you walked into my cubicle at Bethesda West Hospital on the morning of surgery, the first thing you said to me was, "I didn't expect you to be here. I expected you to cancel!"
So much for having faith in your very traumatized patient!
But here is the remarkable part: once I got home, settled into bed with my foot elevated, I waited for the pain to begin.
And I waited.
And waited.
Soon, I fell asleep—and actually slept through the very strong thunderstorms that swept through Delray Beach around 4 a.m.
Day 2 arrived, and I had some very mild discomfort. That's it. I would have happily met a friend for a movie and dinner that evening. That's how well I felt.
So, Dr. Brad, I truly want to thank you-not just for the excellent result, but for your patience and persistence with me over all these years. You never pressured me. You simply continued to explain the procedure, reassured me that things had changed, and reminded me that this surgery was nothing like the experience I had been through before.
I now realize that my decision to finally have the surgery was based on something much more important than simply wanting my foot fixed: I trusted you.
I trusted your expertise and experience. I trusted your knowledge of the newer procedure. I trusted your patience and your compassion. Most importantly, you understood that I was not simply a patient who needed a hammertoe repaired—you understood that I was a patient who was genuinely afraid to go through the experience again.
You have earned my trust over many years, and that trust is ultimately what gave me the courage to say, "OK, let's do this."
And now, after all those years of putting it off, I find myself wondering what I was so afraid of!
Thank you, Dr. Brad, for never giving up on me, for taking the time to explain everything, and for using your expertise to make what I had feared for years such an unexpectedly easy experience.
For at least 10 years, I talked about having the hammertoe on my right foot surgically repaired.
My previous experience with an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon had been terrible. It was such a difficult experience that I had convinced myself I would never have that surgery again. I was, quite honestly, traumatized by the thought of going through it a second time.
Over the years, while I was receiving injections in my right foot to help with the pain and inflammation, you patiently explained that there was now a newer and much better surgical technique and procedure. We had this same conversation for years—and I kept finding reasons not to do it.
Then, one day, I simply said, "OK, let's do this." And just like that, my hammertoe surgery was on the calendar.
When you walked into my cubicle at Bethesda West Hospital on the morning of surgery, the first thing you said to me was, "I didn't expect you to be here. I expected you to cancel!"
So much for having faith in your very traumatized patient!
But here is the remarkable part: once I got home, settled into bed with my foot elevated, I waited for the pain to begin.
And I waited.
And waited.
Soon, I fell asleep—and actually slept through the very strong thunderstorms that swept through Delray Beach around 4 a.m.
Day 2 arrived, and I had some very mild discomfort. That's it. I would have happily met a friend for a movie and dinner that evening. That's how well I felt.
So, Dr. Brad, I truly want to thank you-not just for the excellent result, but for your patience and persistence with me over all these years. You never pressured me. You simply continued to explain the procedure, reassured me that things had changed, and reminded me that this surgery was nothing like the experience I had been through before.
I now realize that my decision to finally have the surgery was based on something much more important than simply wanting my foot fixed: I trusted you.
I trusted your expertise and experience. I trusted your knowledge of the newer procedure. I trusted your patience and your compassion. Most importantly, you understood that I was not simply a patient who needed a hammertoe repaired—you understood that I was a patient who was genuinely afraid to go through the experience again.
You have earned my trust over many years, and that trust is ultimately what gave me the courage to say, "OK, let's do this."
And now, after all those years of putting it off, I find myself wondering what I was so afraid of!
Thank you, Dr. Brad, for never giving up on me, for taking the time to explain everything, and for using your expertise to make what I had feared for years such an unexpectedly easy experience.