Not Just A Pretty Face
July 14, 2009
It’s a beautiful day, here in Southampton–the
> sun is shining, there’s a slight breeze in the
> air and it’s warm, without being too hot or humid.
> It’s the kind of day that reminds me why I’m here.
> Not too long ago, this would have been totally
> wasted on me, as I spent my entire day, most days,
> in a sterile operating room. And although I miss
> the surgery (but not the hassles or BS), living
> life at a slower pace and enjoying each day are
> pretty good compensation.
>
> Here’s what brought this to mind. I had been
> looking over some older files, and looking for
> others, on the computer, as each new computer
> seems to “eat” some of them and I have to hunt
> them down. I happened to see an old picture of
> me, in full surgical regalia, with my old pal
> and assistant Izhar, and my surgical tech, Bruce.
> And I happened to realize that I never did get a
> picure of the other, often unsung part of the
> team, my super reliable circulating nurse, Emma.
>
> The reason is because it was probably she who
> took the photograph. Always behind the scenes,
> never in front of the camera. Yet, completely
> indispensible for what we were doing.
>
> If you haven’t spent a lot of time in an OR,
> and hopefully you haven’t, unless you’re
> working there, every case needs a certain
> number of people, each of whom has a specific
> role to play and a certain job to do. And all
> of them are necessary to a successful outcome.
>
> Top dog is the surgeon, who is, in all the ways
> that matter, “captain of the ship,” responsible
> for the actual surgery and everything else that
> happens in that room during the case.
>
> For more complex cases that need one, the assistant
> is there to help the surgeon, by retracting tissues
> suctioning blood and fluids away from the operative
> field, the actual site of surgery, so the surgeon
> can see, and adding his opinion and perspective,
> when judgment is called for. And in an emergency,
> taking over the case (for example, if the surgeon
> should faint,become ill, or die during the case–
> which HAS happened). He’s not only a trusted
> companion, he’s a second pair of hands and a
> fully qualified surgeon in his own right.
>
> The surgical technician, who may be a nurse, or
> a specially trained tech, certified, but without
> a nursing degree, is responsible for organizing
> the intruments and handing them, as needed, to
> the surgeon throughout the case. He or she is
> also sometimes called on to retract, or actually
> serve as an assistant, at times, during the case.
> The tech is actually IN the sterile field, with
> the patient, the surgeon and the assistant.
>
> At the head of the table, and the patient, is the
> anesthesiologist (a doctor), or nurse anesthetist.
> Any fool can knock you out–but monitoring your vital
> signs, adjusting your fluids, keeping you safe and
> waking you up at the end, that’s the real trick.
> Anesthesia is said to be 99% boredom and 1% stark
> terror, and there’s a lot of truth to that. He or
> she (and the patient’s head) is “walled off” from
> the surgical field by sterile drapes (unless, of
> course, the operative field IS the patient’s head).
>
> But outside that sterile field, there is another
> player, one on whom all within the field are
> completely dependent–the circulating nurse.
>
> Male or female, the circulator supplies the operative
> team with whatever is needed to get the job done. She
> is the one who gives the tech the sterile sponges,
> additional intruments, special equipment, implants,
> suction tubing, and whatever else might be needed.
> He is the one who takes charge of the patient, on
> arrival in the OR, ascertains his identity, checks
> all the paperwork, including the consent for surgery,
> helps position, scrub, prep and drape the patient for
> the procedure to come.
>
> The circulator is the liason between the outside
> world and that sterile field. Absolutely essential,
> but rarely in the limelight. And Emma was among the
> best I’ve ever worked with. Tough Canadian gal with
> a crusty exterior, she was assertive (the less
> charitable might say, bossy), even to me, took
> no crap from anyone, was fast, caring and, most
> important, she was awesomely competent.
>
> We had our routine down pat. Every day, when I’d
> compliment her on a job well done, she’d say,
> “I’m not just a pretty face.” And, smiling, I’d
> always reply, “You’re also a great body!”
>
> I wonder what became of her, or if she’s still
> working. I know she loved horses and planned to
> retire to Virginia to have a small horse farm.
> I hope the years have treated her well. I not
> only liked working with her, I appreciated her.
>
> And what she liked about me, besides my dedication
> to technical excellence, sheer raw talent and
> becoming modesty, was my sense of humor (I was
> always cracking her up) and the fact that ALL my
> patients actually needed the surgery I was performing.
> No shady stuff. All conservative methods tried and
> failed, before they ended up in the OR.
>
> You know, it’s been documented that many of the
> surgeries performed in the USA, especially in knee
> surgery, may not actually be needed. So it’s
> important to exhaust the NON-operative options,
> first. And that’s what I’ve done with my newest
> healing program, HOW TO AVOID KNEE SURGERY
>
> http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
>
> I’ve given you the secrets of staying OUT of the
> operating room, unless it’s absolutely essential,
> using treatments and techniques from across the entire
> medical spectrum, conventional, alternative, and
> complementary. So you can often get rid of your
> pain, for good, and do it without surgery.
>
> http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
>
> There are tips and tricks to functioning without
> pain, specially modified exercises and recommended
> dietary changes, including effective anti-inflammatory
> supplements, like my POWERHOUSE OMEGA FORMULA
>
> http://drbillsclinic.com/favorite_formulas.html
>
> an ultra pure, highly potent, pharmaceutical grade
> fish oil, with an enteric coating to eliminate any
> fishy aftertaste, or fish burps. I use this myself,
> twice a day, every day, at a minimum, for my own
> chronic knee problems. I know it works.
>
> So, here’s to you, Emma. Thanks for the many years
> of faithful service and reliable excellence. I couldn’t
> have done what I did for so many without you. Til next
> time, my friend, be well.
>
> Yours for a pain-free tomorrow,
>
> Dr. Bill
>
>
>
>
>
> P.S. For DR. BILL’S LITTLE GREEN BOOK ON ELIMINATING KNEE PAIN, a concise, but complete handbook on the root causes and the various options for treating knee pain, go to http://drbillsclinic.com/eliminate_knee_pain.html
>
> P.P.S. For DR. BILL’S PAIN-FREE PROGRAM: EXERCISES TO PREVENT OR ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN, please go to
> http://drbillsclinic.com/exercise_eliminate.html
>
> P.P.P.S. For conventional and alternative treatments and exercises to relieve knee pain without surgery click on http://drbillsclinic.com/avoid_knee_surgery.html
>
> P.P.P.P.S. For the giant, comprehensive ADVANCED MASTERS’ COURSE: HOW TO ELIMINATE KNEE PAIN–ONCE & FOR ALL!, everything you need to know on causes and solutions for knee pain and the complete exercise program, too, go to
> http://drbillsclinic.com/advanced_masters.html
>
> FREE BONUS CD with any order: THE HEALING POWER OF POSITIVE PAIN PERCEPTION
>
> Copyright, 2009 by William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS
> All rights reserved
