A big fan: Union City patient cites ‘cool’ experience with surgery, hospital stay

Excellent care a straight-shooting doctor and a friendly staff all helped make Tim Cline of Union City a big fan of Reid Orthopedics.

And so did a big fan – literally. Cline had a knee replacement in August with Orthopedic Surgeon Mario Lee M.D. and spent a couple of nights in the hospital. Cline explains: “I have tinnitus a ringing in my ears. It makes it hard to sleep at night. I have a big fan at home that helps drown out the sound. When I shared this with the nurses one of them said ‘wait a minute.’ She and another nurse went somewhere and brought be back a fan. It was a big fan. They turned it on. And I thought that was about the coolest thing ever!”

He found Dr. Lee after seeing a TV ad. He started asking around researched him online to check out his experience and finally made an appointment. “I wanted to see where he went to school how long he’d been an orthopedic surgeon.” He and Dr. Lee worked together with less invasive treatments to deal with his pain for about six months. Cline says the pain was most likely linked to a football injury while he was in the Air Force and years of work that found him on his knees painting things like jets and yachts where he worked in Florida.

Dr. Lee says nonsurgical options are always considered first when a patient is having problems like Cline’s. “Once they feel their quality of life is compromised patients will know and are ready for surgical options.”

A resident of Fort Lauderdale for about 40 years Cline returned to Union City so his sister could help him when he began having knee trouble. He says Dr. Lee told him he’d reach a point where he’d be ready for a knee replacement – and he did this summer and had the operation in August.

Cline worked part-time at a car wash and doing some mowing until he could no longer handle the pain and had to quit. “That’s when I decided.”

He’s feeling and healing well. He’s glad he chose Dr. Lee. “He’s very professional. He answered  all my questions and he doesn’t beat around the bush about anything.”

He expects he will need to have his left knee replaced eventually and says that will be by Dr. Lee unless he moves back to Florida before it is time. “If I had to talk to somebody that had to have this done I would highly recommend Reid Health and Reid Orthopedics — and Dr. Lee.”