"Come on," they said. "It will be fun to be on that special team.
There will be help available if you need it."
They walked out of the room and there I stood. Alone. Sweating. Finally,
the nurse who was mentoring me came in to give me step-by-step instruc-
tions. I hooked up everything before the surgeons came in. Once every-
thing was set, I had to steer the monster into its parking place. Park a
robot? Crap, I can't even park my car straight. Despite my dread, it wasn't
bad at all. I even liked it. And if they don't wait too long, I think I can do
another. Still, watching the arms of the robot move on their own reminded
me of the introduction of "Westworld" and creeped me out a little bit.
• • •
I bought wireless earbuds for my iPhone. I wish circulators could wear
Bluetooths (Blueteeth?) in the OR. We could hear everything so much
better from the field and anesthesia. With the flat screens all over the
OR walls, it would give you that HD surround-sound theater feeling.
• • •
My daughter and her husband are about to promote me to a position
higher than CEO. I am going to be a grandmother. I can't even begin
to express how excited and happy I am. I've already started stockpil-
ing diapers, wipes and unisex onesies. Now, if the government would
leave Social Security and retirement age alone, I could retire and do
the one job I might be the best at yet.
I wish I could have told Charles Allen McKnight, MD, before he left
us a few months ago that the amazing baby girl he delivered to me on
June 4, 1985, is going to make me a grandmother. In our profession,
it's amazing how we touch so many lives and don't give it a second
thought because it's what we do. Sometimes those lives we touch
come back together hand in hand and bless us with a touch of their
own even after we are long gone. Not a day will go by that I won't
look at my grandchild and thank Dr. McKnight. He will be missed.
OSM
Contact Ms. Watkins at pwatkins12@comcast.net.
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 1 1 7
