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19 August, 2013

Huey Had Surgery

Our erstwhile pool boy, Huey, had surgery today. We knew for a few weeks that it was coming. Still when it arrives, it's exciting.

We'd been waiting for a package to come in the mail. Parts necessary to rehab Huey. For example, his shoes. his old ones had lost too much rubber and Huey simply could not run around the way he wanted to.

Of course, he was nervous as we carried him into surgery. But he's a strong boy. We knew he'd come out of it in fine fashion.
Huey Apprehensive About Surgery
We put him on the operating table, making sure we had all the necessary surgical tools immediately to hand.
Huey On the Operating Table
Just to help ensure there were no slip-ups, we had our written plans describing all the processes of the days procedures, all ready and available.
Surgery Requires a Plan
Surgical supplies and replacement parts were all present and accounted for, having made the 3,000 mile journey without a problem
Rehab Parts Shipped In

Surgery commenced with a quick incision to the main body cavity. This is one of those odd organs that we're not completely sure what function it fulfills.
Under the Knife
Immediately under that is the main 'rib cage' you might say. All of the components of today's surgery are contained in this region - flaps, wings, and shoes.
All Parts for Surgery Are Here
A rare glimpse into the 'heart' of Huey, his turbine. Sort of like Captain Picard's replacement heart, all turbine, no valves, no pumping in the traditional sense, just lots of power.
Open Turbine Surgery
First up, Huey's shoes. In the photo below, the old shoe is on the right. if you look closely, you can see just how much it has worn. So much so, that his forward movement had come virtually to a standstill, making surgery of paramount importance.
New and Old Shoes
They were a bit tight to fit, but once in place, looked fully capable for the job.

Next came Huey's side wings. These flexible appendages help extend the vacuum sensitive area as Huey traverses the pool. It's easy to see just how much the old wings had word . The wing on the left is just about half the size of the replacement on the right.
Wings Replaced-Old and New
Last came the flaps - front and back. These help Huey maintain suction as he glides apparently effortlessly across the pool.
His Flaps Get Replaced Too
Both the front and rear flaps are spring-loaded. You can see where they tie in through the two photos below. It was touchy getting them both reattached. Although the flaps are somewhat flexible, it was still difficult to make the reattachment.

This spring must rest on a flat part of the roller.
Ties in on a Flat Part
Whereas this one fits into a groove.
Where the New Springs Clip in
Finally, we reached the point where the surgeon can close up, feeling very good about his patient's prognosis and chances for the future.
Closing Up
Over in the recovery ward, a quick peek in shows us that Huey is raring to go. He's more than anxious to get back to work in the pool.
Looking Confident and Ready to Go
Speaking of pool, after a final exam by the surgeon, Huey gets the green light - he's able to jump back in the pool and get to work. In fact, here he is, chasing leaves and toes with equal abandon.
Happy as a Clam and Hard at Work
Now for something just a little different. Have you ever had trouble finding I.N.K. Supplies here in Corozal? Some folks have in the past. Not any more, I'll bet. As I told Dianna, you could be blindfolded and in a dark closet and still be able to spot the store. They're new paint job is vibrant, alive and oh, so bright. Wow! We could've painted the inside of our house to match!
Trouble Finding I N K Supplies?

2 comments:

JRinSC said...

Another successful surgery... well done. Just remember should all this start going to your head: You can try your skill on the puppy dogs (don't suggest it at all) but leave Dianna alone!!

Dave Rider said...

Hi Julian,

Thanks for the reminder. I'm not even sure operating on the doggies would be such a good idea.

All I needed for Huey was a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Through in scalpels and clamps and stuff and I might be up to my elbows in something way beyond my capabilities.

Thanks for the warning. I'll keep it in mind.

Cheers,
Dave