A Plastic Surgeons Dinner and Goodbye Honolulu Hawaii July 10 2009

Life transitions amaze me. I graduated private catholic school, had my first date , army, college ,medical school and married lived through conflicts between countries and so on. Next was practice and for me next will be retirement. Life is quick , you blink and its over.

Front: Dr.Lee, Dr. Flowers-Back: Dr. Peterson, Dr. Pasquale

Tonight was one of those nights that make me think about   “the speed we go through life” and done. No more –game over!

One of my teachers who is also my friend is on his way to the next step which is retirement.  But first let me tell you who I am talking about my Dear Reader. In the picture above you will see three younger ( over 45 all of us ) and one older gentleman. The elder in the crowd the only one  world famous is Dr. Robert Flowers.  The Asian man is Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon Charles Lee , behind him is Honolulu Plastic Surgeon Dr. Robert Peterson and then there is ME.

Now as I was saying life is stages and life is quick. Dr. Flowers is leaving Hawaii and entering his retirement phase. After becoming a true  icon in the world of Plastic Surgery he has decided to leave. Its a field he has loved,will always love and  one that he has made dynamically change and will forever live in plastic surgery history.  I can speak for the other two younger ones and we agree he has influenced our lives. We learned from him, we listened to him, talked about him and admired him. Sometimes even mad at him , or laughed with  him…….but always felt awe and respected him.

The reason us three Charlie, Bob and myself were out with him tonight is because of a special relationship from the last ten years. Charlie ( the asian ) Bob ( the one behind charlie)  and me have all “hung out” if that is what you call it. Like college roommates in the world of plastic surgery we chat all the time, compare notes, teach each other tricks and gossip behind each others back in good humor.  We were all in Dr. Flowers office as a group at one time. We know each other well. Dr. Flowers  was always the father figure to some degree to us. We were the prodigal sons at times, other times the we were the younger ones helping out the family or something like that.  In a nut shell we know each others secrets, strengths and weaknesses. Yet even when competitors in the same community I suppose it was never like that, never felt that and I appreciate that.

Dr. Charles Lee left the Hawaii family on to La and then to Beverly Hills , Dr. Bob Peterson  and I stayed as we have always been more established here as Dr Lee is the younger brother.  This is my take on things. What does it meant? It just seems interesting that many years ago we were planning a group practice which broke up for various reasons and now much later we are all sitting at dinner , as a family.  When a group practice breaks up to most doctors its like a bad divorce. When this group departed it was more like kids leaving home to make it on their own. The home being the group. That does not happen often in the medical setting. Yet it did this time and I think I know the reason. It has something to do with Dr. Flowers. His presence seems to prevent any bad feelings only good memories.

I recall one day I was in a local hardware store looking for some tool to fix my car. Up pops Dr. Flowers and with a grin on his face says to me….”Michael looking for some new instruments for surgery?”  Well funny I thought, many surgeons of his era proabally did just that. Found useful items to use in surgery in a hardware store back before it became a modern industry. When he started there was not much in the way of plastic surgery instruments and many like him fashioned their own. Today my generation has everything for them spoiled we are. Yet at the same time he was lucky, he did not have everything prepackaged so creative ability  was exercised more easily. Such  a great time in history to be a plastic surgeon.

Finally I am sad to have him leave Hawaii. He was great for advice for myself and Dr. Peterson as he was only up a 6 floors from my office and few blocks from Dr. Peterson’s Office.  We lose a senior surgeon locally but he has a phone where he is going I suppose.

Doctor808