Surgery for Hubs…

Hubs went into the hospital on Tuesday for a partial knee replacement surgery and came out with a totally new and artificial knee.

TKASurgery

Circled on his procedure sheet as TKA, Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Arthritis had taken its toll.

He had it done at Methodist McKinney,

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a small hospital and by small I mean only twenty rooms.

“We specialize in orthopedic surgery,” the receiving nurse told us.

A good sign I thought, no rushing from appendectomy to the birthing room, from knee surgery to a double bypass.

Knees, hips and backs, day in day out…

The nurses knew the ins and outs of pain management using IV’s and breakthrough pain meds, the physical therapists worked towards the optimal number of steps walked to qualify for discharge, and the technicians had their routine down pat floating from room to room taking vitals, making beds and offering small talk.

With the average stay of 2 or 3 nights the turnover was quick and uncomplicated.  Patients didn’t linger and grow cranky…they were made to feel comfortable and happy and discharged just as reality began to set in taking with them morphine tinted memories of a pleasant stay.

When Hubs was admitted I was allowed to accompany him into a cubicle where I was pretty impressed that neither the nurses or anesthesiologist were at all bothered about my presence while,

His IV was started, in preparation for his regional anesthesia,

A monitor hooked up, to keep an eye on his vitals before handing him over to the very capable operating room staff,

And two nerve blocks performed with long needles inserted into his right knee using ultra sound for guidance.  That part was not for the faint hearted…I kid you not those needles could have been one of my grandmother’s knitting needles, skinny and way too long for comfort.

“As long as you don’t move, I’ll work around you,” Dr. Le Blanc said with a smile while smearing gel over Hubs’ knee with one hand, manipulating the needle with his other and watching the black and white sonogram on the monitor.

I remained stock still, my eyes transfixed on the illegible images of the inside of Hubs’ knee.

“I found myself trying to make out the heart beat,” I whispered to Hubs after Dr. Le Blanc and his team had left.

He smiled,

“I was trying to see if it was a boy or a girl!”

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