Dr. Lickstein is my plastic surgeon. He is the doctor with whom I will be dealing the most from here on out. I will see Dr. Rimmer one more time, and I need to make an appointment with the oncologist, Dr. Bertrand. But I will be seeing Dr. Lickstein every week or so for the next few months as he “reconstructs” me.
“David” is his first name. He looks like a David. At first glance, he seems a bit “nerd-y” to me – scholarly. He looks to be about 45 years old. He also seems dependable, up early taking care of details. He does not seem like the kind of doctor who caters to the rich. But I bet that's what the rich people like about him, his scholarly and medical grounding and his apparent disregard for trendiness. He came to me by way of recommendations from women who had used him.
They have a new office, and boy is it swanky. Actually, I love the décor. Modern, with a lot of glass, but like a forest. The flooring is a mix of pebbles and carpet patterned with a hint of fern. There is a water wall in the lobby, and a large arrangement of green pod-like things. It doesn’t look like a doctor’s office, but more like a high end architect or legal office.
I think it is appropriate that a plastic surgeon’s office be somewhat artsy. When I mentioned to Dr. Lickstein this morning that the office was “swanky”, he seemed a bit embarrassed, saying that he was still finding his way around. This office, though, is more in my neighborhood – I can walk to it if I cut across a construction site. And it is Lickstein’s neighborhood too. In our casual conversation this morning, as he was pulling out a drain, I learned what temple he attends and where he lives – both nearby.
It’s interesting to be going to a “high-end” cosmetic surgeon. It’s obvious that this office is made to appeal to rich women who pay upfront for their services. It doesn’t look so much like a “medical” place. This morning (Christmas Eve) he was only seeing a few patients like me who had a medical urgency (like getting the damn drains out). Still there were a couple of glamour girls in the lobby (how can you call such a sophisticated place a “waiting room”? There is a climate controlled refrigerator with water, china, tea, etc.)
Dr. L’s old office had some modern art on the walls of the waiting room, and when I commented on them to Dr. L he said that they belonged to his partner, Dr. Pinsky. I wonder if Dr. P is the inspiration behind this new décor?
