Vivien Thomas

My patients never complain about my bedside manner. They're usually asleep.

I'm not a miracle worker, but I've been known to assist in a few.

The only thing I cut corners on is the fabric for my surgical drapes.

They say necessity is the mother of invention. In my case, it was desperation.

I've got more stitches in my career than a tailor's shop.

My greatest teachers were the ones who underestimated me.

You can't spell 'surgery' without 'urge.' And I always had the urge to learn.

Some people collect stamps. I collect successful operations.

The only color that matters in the operating room is red, and we try to keep that to a minimum.

They called me a technician. I called myself a lifesaver.

My hands are my instruments, and my mind is my orchestra conductor.

I've been in more tight spots than a surgeon's knot.

The best way to get ahead is to keep your head down and your hands busy.

They say never meet your heroes. I say, become one.

My work speaks for itself, usually in the form of a healthy heartbeat.

I've got a knack for fixing things, especially broken hearts.

The only thing I regret is not having more hours in the day to learn.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul. I say, the heart is the engine.

I've seen things that would make a grown man faint, and I just kept operating.

My legacy isn't in books, it's in the lives I've touched.