Plastic surgeon Jeffrey Roth’s 44-year circle of life in Las Vegas (first published in L.V. Sun)

Tue, July 26, 2011 5:59 pm MDT

Editor’s Note: Today’s guest columnist is longtime Las Vegas plastic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Roth while Robin Leach takes his well-deserved annual vacation to Europe (follow him on his travels at twitter.com/robin_leach). Every day, a new column, plus you never know what Robin will dig up in the wine country north of Rome, so please check back daily.

It is an honor and a privilege to fill in for Robin while he is on vacation. He has done a tremendous amount of charity work for our town. He also has dated many of my patients. Usually two at a time, so that, in his words, “If I fall asleep at dinner, at least they can talk to each other.” I have seen him literally give the sweater off his back (as it was auctioned off) for charity; fortunately, he kept his shirt on.

As a longtime Las Vegan, I have seen many changes. My family moved here in 1977, when the population was 250,000. Warm Springs Road was full of horse farms. The 7-Eleven next to Sunset Park had a horse tie-up. Folks would ride their horse, get a Slurpee and ride back home. Most people had actually met Richard “Dick” Bryan before voting for him (for governor or senator). I graduated from Chaparral High when it was the new school in town.

This was a time when McCarran was the size of Burbank Airport, and if you had 10 minutes to spare, you could still make your flight. I worked as a baggage handler at the B gates; the C and D gates did not exist. There was no I-95, much less an I-215.

Las Vegas is synonymous with change. The places that I had homecoming dances and prom are now either imploded (Dunes, Landmark) or closed (Sahara). Looking at Las Vegas, there are a couple of entities that mark our progress.

Medical care

The old joke was if you were sick, go to McCarran. This is not true anymore. As the population increased, so did the sophistication of the medical community. Kids went off to medical school and residency and returned. New physicians came to town. New hospitals sprang up. The people of the state of Nevada invested in medical care. Tort reform (based on a model that has worked in California since 1975) was adopted.

Physicians stayed in the state. Nonprofit entities like the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Nevada Cancer Institute and Nathan Adelson Hospice showed commitment to serving the people and to research. This has paid dividends, as there are many good doctors here.

The UMC trauma center is the fourth busiest in the country. Patients from across the globe come here for procedures. Mayor Oscar Goodman actually brought up promoting “reverse medical tourism,” where people are coming to the U.S., and specifically here, for their care.

There are certain specialties that stand out. Las Vegas is a plastic surgery mecca. Plastic surgeons have taken it upon themselves to improve patient care by bringing in speakers, establishing case conferences and sharing information and techniques that will better serve patients. This is not hospital- or government-mandated. These are doctors who have set aside competition to do what is best for the community.

What goes around comes around. Some personal examples:

St. Rose De Lima sutures

I was 17 years old and water skiing at Lake Mead. I fell and took a header on the ski. Off I went to St. Rose De Lima E.R. to get stitches. Years later, after all the training and experience that I was blessed to receive, I found myself at the bedside stitching up a kid at the same E.R. (It is better to be on this side of the gurney).

Boxing sutures

Growing up here, everyone was a fight fan. This was the time of the legendary fights at Caesars Palace. The town was electric on fight night. The fights went to a larger venue at the new Thomas & Mack Center. This was the home of Coach Jerry Tarkanian’s Runnin’ Rebels back when the city shut down to watch them play, and the legendary Chick Hearn called the games.

At that time, the Utah Jazz played half of their home games at the T&M. Back then, I had a job as a parking lot attendant. Years later, I find myself in the dressing rooms in the bowels of the T&M called upon to contribute to boxing, not as a pugilist but to suture wounds.

With all that changes, there are a few institutions that should remain. Las Vegas is full of great places. There was a time when great nightclubs and restaurants were not in the hotels. Dirty Sally’s discotheque, Shark Club, Botany’s, Mr. G’s, Sneakers, Moby Grape and Tiger’s Pub have all gone by the wayside; however, some establishments endure.

Piero’s

There is not enough space here to do it justice, and it has been covered by better writers than me (Steve Friess, Michael Shulman). My perspective might be a little unique. My father grew up with owner Freddie Glussman in L.A. (Fairfax High School). I worked there as a busboy. Some of the waiters and staff are still there. (It’s like playing Carnegie Hall every night, so why leave?).

One of my favorite memories is the poor waiter who was trying to get through the specials. Mayor Goodman was being his boisterous self, and finally the waiter shouted, “Mayor, please, I gotta get through this!” The osso buco has been the special for 30 years. Tip: Order the “Freddie G” salad. It’s not on the menu; it’s delicious.

Luv It Frozen Custard

It’s on Oakey Boulevard in the shadow of the Stratosphere and a block away from the venerable White Cross drugstore (with Post Office inside). The current owner is the grandson of the guy who brought frozen custard to town more than 37 years ago. Tip: The Western sundae never disappoints.

Danny’s Slot Country

Best chicken fingers in town, although the place can be a little sketchy at night. You have to love a place where the sign next to the door as you exit says, “Have some class and leave the glass.”

Metro Pizza (formally New York Pizza)

Cousins Sam and John Areana started their empire serving hungry Chaparral High students. The parking lot was the hangout with car stereos blasting rap, metal and dance music in an almost carnival-like atmosphere. This place was a tremendous sponsor of high school sports and activities. Their success is testimony to how community-involved guys can make a difference.

I apologize for not including many of the classics, but space does not permit. Honorable mentions: The deli at Binion’s, Bootlegger, Hugo’s Rotisserie, Lee’s Discount Liquors and Cleopatra’s Barge.

In a town that many see as disposable or superficial, there is substance and tradition. The future is something worth investing in, even if at times, progress comes with sacrifice (implosions) or might be painfully slow (road construction). We can reminisce about days gone by, and we can use them as a jumping-off point for the next chapter in the most dynamic city in the world.

A heartfelt thanks

I want to thank the people of Las Vegas for supporting my education and being the village that raised me. Thank you to those who invested in the community at-large and specifically in kids and me growing up here in the hopes that we can make the town better. I know many of us who strive every day to live up to our end of the bargain. Viva Las Vegas.