From Surgery to Self-Discovery

Dr O performs a labiaplasty with clitoral hood reduction under local anesthesia while coaching the patient through numbing injections, pinch tests, and expected sensations, explaining why he avoids cutting the raphe to reduce swelling and discomfort. He outlines recovery expectations (about three weeks for 80% healing, with sutures dissolving around three weeks), swelling “effacement,” and the goal of minimal bleeding for travel. During the procedure, they discuss accountability and leadership books, the surgeon’s background and family history in plastic surgery, his mother’s work as a lactation consultant, comfort and footwear in healthcare, residency call schedules, and self-care for longevity in surgery. They also chat about travel, astronauts’ reentry, and phone dependence. The episode ends with post-op photos, showing the removed tissue, and the patient anticipating improved comfort for cycling and yoga.

A patient undergoes an awake labiaplasty under local anesthesia with clitoral hood reduction, perineal skin excision, and anal tag removal, describing years of discomfort during exercise, hygiene challenges, and recurrent irritation, and saying she felt comfortable after researching the clinic’s website, photos, and reviews and speaking with staff. During the operation they discuss pain tolerance, family backgrounds, social media exposure, NASA and Challenger, and the surgeon’s path into plastic surgery. 

Dr O performs an awake labiaplasty and hood reduction under local anesthesia, also excising a recurring small bump on the patient’s left outer labia previously biopsied as benign excess sebum and likely an ingrown hair/epidermal inclusion or sebaceous cyst. They discuss the tradeoff between removing the bump and leaving a scar, then proceed with numbing injections, pinch tests, tissue removal, cautery, and stitching, noting the left side tends to be more sensitive and explaining how lidocaine blocks nerve impulses. During the procedure they talk about the patient’s work as a 911 dispatcher, on-the-job training, triage, humor in stressful jobs, existential questions, religion, aliens, and robotics. The patient plans five days off and discreet icing at work; post-op photos and a brief video are taken, and the patient expresses relief about reduced friction and discomfort.

This morning’s labiaplasty patient had the most beautiful monologue about body positivity that I literally clapped mid-case.

Midwife Life: Today’s labiaplasty patient is a post-partum nurse and her mom is a midwife: they have delivered and cared for dozens of babies and moms together as a team. How beautiful!

In today’s episode we talked about the inevitability of suffering in life and how the arts and ballet give us an excuse for joy.

The highlight of this episode was the duet around 45 mins in so just fast forward to that  otherwise we talked about Russian literature and swore a little bit.

Today we discussed the joys of pranking people despite me never having punk’d anyone in my entire life. 

I had a special guest on the podcast (and OR table) today, a dear friend and physician. She talked about her go to karaoke song and that one time she diagnosed her own appendicitis in the ER. In summary, she’s a bada$$.

Today’s episode hit close to home for me. We talked about how two people can have different truths and that neither of them are wrong. We talked about love and loss; of letting go; and of the higher vibrations of forgiveness when compared to seeking justice. And ultimately we shared that to love someone may be as simple as just wanting the very best for them. 🥲❤️