What to Do if You Were Planning for Surgery This Spring

March 31, 2020

Hello from our homes to yours! First and foremost, we hope you’re taking care and staying safe as we continue to face the challenges of COVID-19 together. We’ve been connecting with our family and friends via text, phone calls, and video chats, but we’ve been missing seeing our colleagues and patients every day—it’s truly uplifting to be included on so many life-changing journeys. We can’t wait to see you all again when we re-open our doors.

We’re also thinking of many of you who were so excited looking forward to your surgery day as it approached, and to those who were eagerly counting down the days until its arrival this spring. There is so much anticipation and excitement that comes with taking this big step in your life. Many of you have waited so long to get here, and we know how disappointing it is to have a sudden change in plans and the uncertainty that comes with it. We wanted to celebrate this big moment with you, too.

Let’s just call it like it is: this sucks. It’s important to take a moment and make space for feelings of disappointment right now. And while it may not be at the forefront of your concerns at the moment, it’s still a big letdown, and it’s totally natural to feel discouraged.

But there’s good news, too. Although your original surgery date is no longer a possibility, it doesn’t mean your surgery day is cancelled—it’s just postponed for now. Your feelings of excitement and anticipation will still be rewarded. This huge step WILL still happen for you, although on a different timeline than we originally expected.

If you were planning for surgery now, here’s some information to help you figure out your next steps.

This applies to me. What should I do first?

If we haven’t spoken already, we’ll be in touch with you all as soon as we can. We can talk more details about a timeline that works for you in the future, or discuss other options to create the best plan for your circumstances. We know that every patient has different ongoing commitments in their life that can affect the best timing for their surgery and recovery, and it’s our number one priority to set a schedule that works for you.

We also know that this situation continues to evolve day-by-day, and we’re definitely here to facilitate unexpected future schedule changes, too.

I realized I have a few more questions about the surgery I’m planning for. Should I just wait?

We’re here for you anytime, and we’d love to hear from you! We’re answering our phones and replying to emails as usual, and we have lots of resources we can share with you. If there’s anything you’re wondering about, we’d love to help. We’ve heard just about every question you can think of over the years, and we’re always up for the challenge to answer something new.

And honestly, at this point we’re tired of talking about what we’ve watched on Netflix so far (though we do agree, Tiger King is a wild ride). But seriously, we are here to share our expertise and to help you plan ahead and stay positive. You can find our contact details here if you need them.

What can I do in the mean time?

Breathe, focus on the positive, and remember that you’ve got this. We know, much easier said than done. But we’ve met you, we’ve talked to you in our consult rooms and discussed some of the most personal details of your life and biggest dreams for your future. So trust us when we say it: you’ve totally got this. Hang in there!

We’ll also be here providing new blogs and sharing info on Instagram for those continuing their research who want to stay informed. Our doctors are going live with other renowned surgeons from around the world to share information and discuss COVID developments and its impacts on surgery. They’re also sharing stories from patients, including what it’s like to recover from surgery during a quarantine — another good place to pick up tips for maintaining a positive outlook.

If there’s anything else we can help you with, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We can’t wait to see you again and to celebrate your surgery day.