If you live in the Mounty Washington Valley, and have ever had a fender bender, you probably know Spike Smith—and even if you haven’t, you’ve probably still met him.
A local legend
Since he was 20 years old, David “Spike” Smith has been standing on the concrete floors of Northeast Auto Body, a shop he owned for 45 years until he retired in January. The demands of his work left little time to address the toll this took on his knees.
Spike needed to address his pain, so he scheduled a consultation with MaineHealth Memorial Hospital’s orthopedic and sports medicine practice. He had a long and trusted relationship with MaineHealth Memorial Hospital and was hoping they could help him. After an initial consultation, he was told he was a candidate for total knee replacement surgery. He was pleased he didn’t have to travel and would be able to get his surgeries close to home, at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital.
“Getting a new knee is not a walk in the park, and it would be a weird feeling going to a hospital not knowing anyone,” Spike said, “Why would I want to go anywhere other than Memorial?”
Spike’s relationship with MaineHealth Memorial Hospital started when he was born at the hospital. Over his lifetime living in the Valley, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital has been there for him and his family. Whether it was an emergency room visit or primary care for the whole family, it gave him great comfort knowing those familiar faces would be there for him.
MaineHealth Memorial Hospital has invested in the orthopedics program with newly expanded space and four board-certified orthopedists. Their specialties now include total joint replacement, upper extremities, surgical podiatry and pediatrics. And with physical therapy available at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital as well, Spike received his care close to home through every step of his recovery.
“My doctor was great; he called my wife and gave her updates on my surgery. The surgical team came into the recovery room and into the hospital room where I spent the night and made sure everything was still okay. Everything was perfect," Spike said.
Spike is now making his health a priority. He is enjoying his much-deserved retirement, spending more time doing what he loves. Post-surgery, you can find Spike on the new Mount Washington Valley Recreation Path, where he can comfortably bike with two new knees alongside his wife, Diane. Pain-free, Spike enjoys working on his lake property, skiing in the winter and stopping by the shop from time to time to see his friends.
MaineHealth Memorial Hospital is grateful for patients like Spike who entrust us with their care.
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