TheBeyondWoman Magazine Issue #10 | Page 32

TBWM : Yes , it does . It does , indeed . All right . So , let us talk about what you do . You said initially , you wanted to be a Doctor from three years old . In what area of medicine did you start initially ? Tell us about that . Dr . Swaby : So , yes , at three years old , I wanted to be a doctor , but at about five or six , I decided I wanted to do cardiology . The reason was because of my grandfather , whom I adored to death . At that age , if you have an adult in your life who gave you sweet treats , you would adore them , right ? I would visit him , and he would walk down this long dirt road to meet me . And one day , I just waited , waited , and waited , and he did not come out . My mother and father were not at home , and so when they finally came , and I asked about him , they said he was in the hospital . And I said , Okay , so let ' s go see him . At the time I was too young to visit and he died two days later from a heart attack . I was devasted and knew immediately I wanted to be a heart doctor who would save as well as cure hearts . I studied in Cuba , and then I went on to study Public Health at Emory University . I came back to Jamaica and entered the public health system . Also , while in University , I had my own issues with my skin — acne or eczema and a confidence issue with the size and shape of my breasts . It didn ' t help that someone who I cared about also added to my already deflated and waning confidence when he commented that my boobs were saggy . For a long time , I had this singular thought " I need less saggy boobs ".
I spent my entire 20s , trying to look better and feel better , and I realized I was not the only one feeling the way I was . My sisters also felt the same , as did the girls who my parents fostered over the years . We all had insecurities about our bodies .
Having fallen out of love with the public health system temporarily , I began to seriously think about my life ’ s direction and where I need to go with my life . My goal at the time was to do something I was passionate about . I recalled my militant stance about serving people while in the public health sector , which came with frustration , and why I did what I did was getting lost . There was an incident with a baby who got raped , which was the final straw for me . The part I played as a doctor in the health system was becoming robotic and far removed from reality . There were instances where persons turned a blind eye to the atrocities we witnessed rather than speak up . In this instance , a baby of 18 months old was raped and could not survive the trauma , and what came out of it ? Turning a blind eye . I could not save the baby because his rectum had become dislodged and was floating in his abdominal cavity . I was so pissed . So , I contacted a girlfriend of mine at the Gleaner Company Of Jamaica . I spoke up about rape and our kids being raped , and I don ' t think that the hospital appreciated what I did . At that point , I decided to walk away , still , it took me some time to actually do it .
So , having walked away , the decision became easier to do what I had truly loved , and that was cosmetic surgery . I became the doctor for all my family and friends and then later went into the practice fully . Most women are affected by body changes we will experience for various reasons The changes may result in low self-esteem or lack of confidence in how we look and feel . A simple thing such as fearing our breasts falling to the side while laying down and having sex or having to think twice about wearing certain types of clothing ; or not being able to see your private parts because of the tummy hanging over — all of these affect our confidence level . I wanted to fix it all and restore women ’ s confidence . One of my favorite comments from a client was when she exclaimed “ I have not seen my vagina in 10 years , and now I can ”. Isn ' t that awesome ?
TBWM : It is indeed , I know some persons don ' t believe in cosmetic surgery and say accept your body as it is . How do you address those comments ? Dr . Swaby : I don ' t . My firm belief is that God is all-knowing , He is omnipotent and omnipresent . And He allows on His Earth , what He allows on the earth . If He allows cosmetic surgeons and plastic surgeons and cardiologists , then He allows it for a reason . I am one of God ’ s servants , and we can
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