November 28, 2020
Dear Patient,
I am writing to you on Thanksgiving weekend. We had a small family gathering this year, and did our best to keep everyone safe. It was different but beautiful in its own way. I’ll get to some significant news items about my medical practice, but first I’d like to share a few personal reflections.
My family has a tradition of going around the Thanksgiving table (several small tables this year) and saying what we’re thankful for. I always say, “the people in my life”, and I’ve never meant it more than this year. My gratitude extends to my family and friends, my co-workers with whom I get to practice medicine, and to you, my patient.
Twenty-twenty has been a year none of us will forget. For me its been pivotal in so many ways. I turned sixty and celebrated the second year of what truly is marital bliss. I lost one parent and moved the other to memory care after taking care of her in my home for 15 months. I fractured my dominant hand and had to remain patient until it healed completely, which it has. And like many small business owners, I dealt with major disruptions caused by the pandemic.
My Virginia medical practice closed for 52 days, and I suspended our skincare services for 3 months. We were among the more cautious of area practices in terms of re-opening because I was determined to do everything I could to keep my patients and staff safe. During the time we were closed, I took care of my employees as best I could. I figured out how to apply for PPP funding, and got some of it to keep employee paychecks coming. I studied over a dozen medical office safety protocols from all over the country, and created an eight-page guidance document for our office which has served our patients and skincare clients well. I have continued to refine it as we’ve operated this year, and thus far it has kept our office safe. I’m happy to say my practice is once again thriving. Our COVID protocol is working well. You’ll see that it is enthusiastically enforced whenever you come to our office.
As bad as the pandemic has been, there have been some unexpected bright spots. Our dogs have never been walked more. We’ve had quiet family time in quantities I never thought possible. I’ve been able to dedicate more time to writing fiction, which is a hobby I’ve embraced for many years. I finished Fighting Gravity, a full-length romantic comedy set in a plastic surgery practice, and have almost completed the prequel, which is loosely based on my internship in San Diego during the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. If you enjoy light fiction and would be interested in hearing more about my literary endeavors from time to time (once a month, max, I promise), email me at: msg@msgodin.com and I will add you to my newsletter list. No worries if you’d prefer to pass.
The age of 60 is a milestone that compels me to think about the road ahead. I love what I do professionally, and feel that I’ve hit my stride in terms of knowledge and ability. I recognize that I continue to improve as a surgeon and cosmetic injector – mastery takes years to achieve, and there is always a higher level to attain. I know that if my hands and eyes hold up, I have many years of practice before me. My medical mentor is Dr. Calvin Johnson in New Orleans, who retired at the age of 75. I visited him during his last year of practice. I can tell you that his surgical techniques were beautiful, yielding gorgeous results. He told me his practice was busier than ever; everyone was trying to get their surgery in before he retired! I try to keep fit, and my wife takes great care of me. I plan to practice for at least another ten years, but aspire to make it fifteen if all goes as I hope it will. After that, I’ll write and sculpt and continue to create. My profession allows me to function as an artist. I hope to make my retirement about art as well. I am happiest when creating.
My Fellow-in-training this year is Dr. Brandon Wachal, who comes to us from the University of Nebraska. He is doing an outstanding job and learning a lot. I know you will enjoy meeting him when you come to see us on Libbie Avenue in Richmond. Dr. Wachal is the sixteenth young doctor whom I’ve had the honor to train in Facial Plastic Surgery. When I started the fellowship in 2005, it was the only training program of its kind between Johns Hopkins University and the University of Miami. A few other fellowships have sprung up through the years, but it is still a great honor and a sacred responsibility to have these outstanding young physicians put their faith and career paths in my hands. All my former fellows are doing well. Some are even training fellows themselves which I guess makes me a kind of Facial Plastic Surgery grandfather!
I want to let you know that we are going through a period of transition in our skincare program. I’ve had the honor to work with Carole Williams, Betsy Morgan, and Brooke Lepley for several years. Carole has been with me the longest and has helped me grow the medical spa component of my practice. Beginning in December, they will be transitioning to another practice in town. They will be working with different technology, incorporating body-focused treatments that I don’t feel comfortable offering. I wish them only the best things in life; they are good people and deserve their success.
The focus of my practice has always been the face and neck, and this will continue. We are delighted to offer state of the art facial skincare given by Cynthia Tobin, who is an outstanding master aesthetician. Helping Cynthia with facial treatments will be Lauren Stark, whom many of you have already met.
Lauren is as accomplished in the facial treatment room as she is in working at our front desk. Lauren has many years of facial aesthetics experience. Prior to joining my practice, she worked as an aesthetician at a premier plastic surgery practice in Maryland. Now is the perfect time for her to become more involved in our skincare effort. Also performing Genius radiofrequency microneedling for facial rejuvenation, and face and neck IPL treatments to improve facial discolorations and prominent blood vessels will be Christina Nam, R.N., B.S.N. Christina’s impressive medical background has helped her become wonderfully proficient with these technologies.
I mention all of this to assure you that if you’d like to stay with my practice for your skincare needs, we have you covered. At the same time, I realize that many of Carole, Betsy, and Brooke’s clients may wish to follow them to their next destination. This is understandable, and I have no problem with it. I do hope, however, that if you decide to go this route, you will remain with me for your injectable treatments and cosmetic surgery needs. I have always strived to offer you my best, and I think you’d be hard pressed to find a more experienced and dedicated facial plastic surgeon to help you achieve your appearance goals. I ask for your loyalty, and will do my best to earn it every time I am of service to you.
Like most of us, my travel schedule has been drastically curtailed this year. I’ve been to California to see my patients in Los Angeles and San Diego / La Jolla twice since the pandemic began. I will return in December to see patients in both locations. My practice website, www.drgodin.com has the scheduling details. I was also delighted to return to Roanoke, Virginia last week to serve patients for three days. It is always a treat to catch up with my patients/friends there, many of whom I’ve known and served for 15 years. Please rest assured that I take extraordinary safety precautions when I travel these days. I even bring along the powered air purifier “spacesuit” you may have seen me wearing in the office during injectable treatments.
As I write to you on this Thanksgiving weekend, please know that I am thankful for your confidence. I know the level of trust required to put your appearance in the hands of another person. I will always do my best to honor and deserve that trust.
I am thankful for the communities that have embraced me, and for the patients I’ve served. So many of you have become friends simply through our periodic visits. We talk about our dogs or what our kids are doing. We celebrate our victories and mourn our losses together. It is always about the relationship, not just about the day’s procedure.
Finally, I’m overcome with love and gratitude for the fine people I am blessed to work with. My staff in Richmond, as well as the fantastic human beings I’ve worked with at VCU, in Los Angeles, in La Jolla, and in Roanoke, make it possible for me to offer you my best work. I couldn’t do it without them and would never want to try.
I know it’s been a rough year, but if you think about it, there’s so much to be thankful for.
With warmest regards,
Michael S. Godin, MD