Surgery Notes

St. Vincent's Hospital Now

Wrote most of this three months ago just after my hip joint replacement surgery. Taken me this long to get around to finishing it.

Most of the people I saw were pretty women with a variety of personalities. Connected with some, did not connect with others.

Nurse Jerri thinks I sound like Kevin Costner.

New Operating Room

Remodeled operating room. Last time I was here the surgery center and the operating room were all very industrial looking like something out of Star Wars. This time it was all soft pastels like a modern doctor's office.

St. Vincent's Hospital Ten Years Ago

Remodeled exterior. When we arrived, I walked out of the parking garage and saw this big, shiny, new building (top) and I thought 'this wasn't here before'. Turns out they just put a new facade over the old one (above).

Aisles in new garages are narrower than in the old one which is why I prefer to park in the old garage, even though I have to walk a hundred yards farther to the hospital entrance.

Masimo Root Patient Monitoring and Connectivity Platform

Numerous connections while I am lying in bed after surgery:

• Intravenous line
• Electronic pulse monitor
• I think there was an oxygen level monitor as well, but I don't recall where that one was connected to me. Might be combined with the pulse monitor. The other end was connected to a fancy looking machine that didn't seem to do much (above).
• Warm air hose connected to hospital gown
• inflatable bladders wrapped around my lower legs to reduce the chance of blood clots and / or cramps. The ran on a cycle of about a minute - Inflate on one leg, then deflate, then repeat for the other leg. Funny thing was I noticed when it was inflating on my left leg (the surgery leg), but I had to pay attention to notice it on the right leg.
• How many times did they take my blood pressure? I wouldn't be surprised if they measured it dozen times.
• remote control for the TV. Not connected to me, but it was tied to the bed so I would be able to retrieve it. Not a problem until they started changing beds on me.
• There was nothing on there that I was the least bit interested in watching. Or listening to.
• The controls for the bed were built into the hand rails, so they didn't need to be disconnected or reconnected.

None of these connections were a problem until the gals from Physical and Occupational therapy showed up and wanted me to get out of bed. I suspect a lot of this was just protocol. Problem is I don't know how sick I am. I could be well on the healthy side of the hill, but then again I could be walking on a knife edge where one little glitch could send plunging into the abyss. So I didn't complain other than to commiserate with the njurse who had to struggle with warm air hoses. I don't think I needed any of it, but if I was just a little older and/or feebler, they could have been important. The last thing the administration wants to hear about is a catastrophic outcome to a routine procedure. Or a complaint from a Kevin that his feet are cold.