Today’s pre-Christmas event log!

0500  Got up early this morning, COFFEE, exercise, and drove to work while listening to Christmas story Luke 1+2 on iPhone.  I learn something encouraging every time I listen to portions of scripture, and the drive into work is a good time to do it, getting my heart and mind ready to serve.

0730 We had our last Hey Clinic Team Learning Meeting, including reviewing preparations of our upcoming surgery guests for next 2 weeks with our team mates from Duke Raleigh Hospital next door.  Lots of encouraging stories were shared from recent guests!

0930 Hospital rounds – saw all six of my inpatient guests over at the hospital, who are all making good progress.  Our 35 yo guest with spondylolisthesis and stenosis that we fixed yesterday with single level instrumentation and fusion with TLIF is doing great, and going home today.  She told me this surgery was “Best Christmas Present ever!”

1045 Back to Hey Clinic, and saw one new guest with Brittany, and finished up some phone calls, emails and paperwork.

1130 Good Bye Christmas hugs for all Hey Clinic staff who headed out the door!

1145 Charlene, a scoliosis guest from Florida who came up for a consult a month or so called me on my mobile phone, since the office had just called.  She made up her mind after giving it a lot of thought, and wanted to go ahead and book her scoliosis surgery for early 2010.  Charlene shared how many of her friends have been encouraging her to move forward with surgery, especially as her pain worsens.  She also shared how this Blog continues to be a help to her and her family.  Amazing.  Even though the office was closed, I was able to put her surgery on the calendar for the date she desired, and Tracy will handle this on Monday to get it all set up.

1230 Costco for last minute items including new tires for my son’s car!

1345 Jared’s Jewelry Store at Southpoint in Durham — got a chance to see Abby, one of my scoliosis surgery guests.  I had called Abby ahead of time telling her i wanted to have her help me pick out gift for my wife.  Abby had anterior/posterior scoliosis extension instrumentation and fusion with me about 18 months ago. She told me today that she is still doing great, working long hours in high heels all day long, and doing lots of different sporting activities without any pain!  Her standing posture is excellent!  We are pictured here together in her store, with small gifts wrapped and ready to go!  It was cool seeing where she worked, and she took great care of me.  I even got a chance to see what a diamond looks like under the microscope, and learned a little about clarity, and cut, etc.  Looking through the microscope reminded me a little bit about work, doing surgery, since I do all surgery under binocular magnification (either Loupes or microscope).  Even after doing more than 6,000 surgeries, I actually still have a sense of wonder about the beauty of the inner workings of our body that I get to see up close and personal in surgery each day.  It is truly miraculous how the nerves, bones, joints, muscles all fit so perfectly together to form a very functional human body!  As I drove home, I reflected a bit how each person I get to meet and help is extremely precious — more precious than any diamond of any size, clarity, or cut.  Life and relationships are extremely precious, and should be treasured and cared for with great care.

1500 Wrapped Gifts, and put a couple of my son’s new tires beside the Christmas Tree, although he may not consider it a real present!

1600 Do this Blog!

1730 Christmas Eve Service, Blacknall Presbyterian Church, Durham NC!  http://www.blacknall.org

I will be rounding on our guests still recovering in hospital on Christmas and through the weekend while my 2 wonderful PA’s get some well earned rest and time with family.

Next week I’ll be doing a bunch of scoliosis surgery mostly on some younger guests with adolescent scoliosis, who are off from school.

I wanted to wish all of our Hey Clinic guests and friends a very blessed Christmas, and a wonderful new year!

Special Merry Christmas to my Mom and Dad up in Pennsylvania , as well to Mom and Dad “B” — All 4 of which read this Blog regularly, and our many brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews.

Dr. Lloyd Hey

Hey Clinic for Scoliosis and Spine Surgery