9
his knee joint wore down until his
knee was rubbing bone-to-bone.
Jim opted to
postpone his
second knee
operation
because of
his active
leadership
role on the
Weed Pride
committee.
The group is
dedicated to
revitalizing the
downtown area
of Weed, with projects including
replacing old concrete, planting
new trees, and installing lights and
pedestrian signs.
“Last year was a real struggle
because the project required a lot of
manual labor, and I was hindered
by the pain,” Jim says. “I planned
my surgery after the rst phase
of theWeed Pride Committee
construction project would be
completed.”
By December 2013, Jim’s commu-
nity activities were limited by the
amount of pain he could tolerate.
Right time, right knee
Todd Guthrie, MD, orthopaedic sur-
geon at Mercy Medical Center Mt.
Shasta, and a team of experienced
medical professionals made sure
that Jimwas well-informed of all
the processes involved in his surgery
and recovery. Jim’s wife, Mary
Taylor, was also kept in the loop—by
what Jimdescribes as an “excel-
lent and caring” teamof nurses.
“I could not
have asked for
better medical
care and treat-
ment [than I
got] at Mercy
Medical Center
Mt. Shasta,”
Jim says. “It
was an overall
great experi-
ence. I went in
to surgery on a
Friday, was up
and walking the
next day, and was home by Sunday.”
Steps to recovery
After surgery, Jim began working
with the Physical Therapy Outpa-
tient Program at Mercy Medical
Center Mt. Shasta. The outpatient
program provides patients with
specialized services during their
surgical recovery period at home.
In particular, Jim says that he was
overwhelmed by the kindness and
dedication shown by nurse Kate
West, RN, who o ered to bring ice
therapy units to Jim’s home. “She
really went above and beyond
her job description, and her
compassion and commitment are
much appreciated,” Jim says.
Just threemonths after Jim’s surgery,
the success of his operation is evi-
dent. His knee exibility andmobil-
ity have increased signi cantly, and
the aches associated with surgery
have lessened considerably with
each new day. With a life no longer
governed by chronic pain, Jim has
been able to resume his active role as
an unassuming community leader.
“I can help carry on the downtown
renovations even more now, due
to my two successful knee replace-
ments,” he says. “And for that I
have the wonderful and dedicated
medical team at Mercy Medical
Center Mt. Shasta to thank!”
Jim Taylor is back to working
for the community he loves.
BEFORE SURGERY
Want to get back to an active life?
The Total Joint Replacement
Wellness class covers important
topics such as:
Preparing for surgery
What to know about your procedure
Anesthesia
What to expect the day of—and the
days after—surgery
Services available at Dignity
Health and in the north state
community
The class is offered at Mercy
Medical Center Mt. Shasta and the
Center for Joint and Spine Health at
Mercy Redding. To learn more,
call
888.628.1948
.
Act of kindness No. 4:
Share a humankindness story at
hellohumankindness.org
.
Dignity Health
