Tonight on TLC The Little Couple returns with an all new Tuesday January 6, season 7 episode 6 called, “Bill’s Surgery,” and we have your recap below. On tonight’s episode, Bill Klein has surgery to alleviate back pain. Then, Will and Zoey have a first-time trick-or-treat outing during Halloween.
On the last episode, Bill was determined to have some Halloween fun with the kids before he had to leave for his back surgery so the entire family headed to a local pumpkin patch to introduce Will and Zoey to the concept of Halloween. Later Jenn and the kids surprised Bill with. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.
On tonight’s episode as per the TLC synopsis, “It’s been two years since Bill started experiencing back pain and today is the day he finally has surgery to fix it, but there are no guarantees with spine surgery. Later its Halloween and Will and Zoey go trick or treating for the first time.”
Tonight’s episode is going to be great and you won’t want to miss it, so be sure to tune in for our coverage of the show tonight at 9 PM EST! While you wait for our recap hit the comments and let us know how excited you are for season 7 of The Little Couple.
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On the #LittleCouple, Bill is having his surgery at a special surgery center. Jen says it’s been four or five years since they were there. Bill says he had his hips replaced there five years ago and it’s the top orthopedic hospital in the country. He’s scared because of all the nerve stuff involved in the spinal surgery. Jen says it’s all surreal right now and they just have to get through it and stay positive and keep Bill positive. The doctor tells Jen she can bring his family back to talk to him before he goes into the OR.
Jen says she’s glad all the family is there to keep him distracted. The family piles into the room and the staff comes in to check Bill out pre-surgery. Dr Farmer then comes in to greet them and asks if they have any questions. The doc says they may fuse him and may have to take some bone from his pelvis but will be checking nerves and sensations throughout. He says he thinks Bill will do really well. Bill is very worried and says he’s had more surgeries that didn’t work than those that did. He says he could be paralyzed and that worries him.
They come in next with forms about blood transfusions and get those signed. Bill says he wants to be able to be there for his kids and that’s why he’s so worried. Jen climbs up onto the bed to kiss him goodbye before they take him out. The whole family is there to see him off except for her parents and their kids who have been sent back to Texas. Jen says she’s going into survival mode and thinks about the last time he had surgery. We see a flashback to her crying over it in the hospital when he had his hips done.
She says she feels like that inside this time but says it’s almost too hard to cry anymore. She says she can’t allow herself to break down and says you have to stay tough and focused until she knows it’s all better. Bill is taken into surgery and the doors close. It’s a little before 1 pm when they put him under. Jen says she’ll be glad when it’s all over. At 1:36, they begin the procedure. Jen says as a doctor, she’s thinking about all the things that could go wrong. She says heaven forbid, the worst happens. They are now halfway through the surgery at the three hour mark.
She says the doctor did a decompression to make more room for the spinal cord, fused it and put in two rods. She says the main complication was that Bill lost a lot of blood and had to have transfusions when he was on the table. She says he’s going to feel miserable when he comes out and won’t remember it. It’s post-op day one and Jen says he spent the night in ICU because of blood loss. She says he had to be on a ventilator and says it was hard to see him like that. She says she hopes he can get better very soon and not be in so much pain as he is now.
Three days after surgery, Bill is finally back in a regular room and is progressing. She says it’s been a rough couple of days but he’s in physical therapy and getting out of bed. His dad is there and says Bill looks better. Jen says he has more color in his face. He says he hurts from his butt to his shoulders. The physical therapist comes in and Bill calls her a physical torturist. He says PT is what will get him better. She starts Bill out with the walker and she says they can start with it then ditch it. Bill says it feels like he has a bag of cement on his shoulders and he feels fatigued.
She takes the walker away and Jen says it looks like his back is straighter. She says she wishes hers was that straight. Bill says his hip hurts but it’s not unbearable. He seems to be okay except for the pain and the PT lady says walking is the best thing for him. Jen says it looks like he’s bending his knees better. They do a loop and then head back to his room. He says it’s all about baby steps. Bill says the herniated disc is off his spinal cord but the spinal cord still needs time to heal and that takes a long time. The therapist leaves and says she’ll be back in the morning.
Bill Sr tells his son that was impressive. He says he started getting teary eyed at how straight his back is now and says it hasn’t been like that before. He says it’s incredible to see that benchmark. Bill says his dad seems surprised. He says he’s always had curvature because of his type of dwarfism. Bill says he’s tired and these 20 foot walks are brutal. Jen says he’s glad they’re out of the woods and that nothing scary is going on. It’s now day seven and Bill is hoping to go home. He complains that no one brought him coffee.
Dr Farmer comes in and asks questions. Bill says he’s taking unassisted steps without the walker. The doc tells him to take is slow and steady and back off if there’s any pain. He tells him to get up and walk around on the plane if he can. He also tells him to not let the kids rough around with him and not to pick them up. He says at the three month mark, they can get him back into normal life. Bill says he’s not nervous to leave the hospital and feels confident about his progress. Dr Farmer shows them the xrays of his back and what he did. He shows them the rods he inserted.
He says his spine looks nice and straight and says he has 10 screws in his spine. He tells Bill he can get MRIs since they are titanium but will likely set off the detectors at the airport. He says to tell them he had surgery. Jen is excited to take Bill home and thanks the doctor for everything. Jen hugs the doctor and thanks him for taking care of Bill. For his part, Bill can’t wait to get home and see the kids. He thanks the staff as they leave.
Back at home, Bill has Zoey on his lap when William climbs up on a step stool to be close. Bill’s mom and stepdad came down to help. Bill says he’s still in pain but can’t let that stop him from being with the kids. He says he’d like to be in less pain, but it is what it is. Bill says he can’t get the kids dressed, give them baths, get on the floor to play with them or even pick them up. He says having his folks there is super helpful. He says Jen can do a lot but can’t be in two places at once. His mom says this was the worst surgery he’s ever had.
She says he’s usually better after just a day or so and she’s hoping for a good end to the story with this. She hopes he never has to have another surgery. Bill says his mom is a veteran at taking care of him and has always taught him patience. We see a photo of him as a kid with both legs in casts. Bill says the biggest frustration is not being able to be on the floor with them and says Will asks every day about his back hurting. He says he’s been rubbing it gently and being really sweet. They decide to order Indian food and the kids carry it into the kitchen.
Bill reminds Will to be gentle with Baba and not push him. Will asks to see his boo boo and he pulls up his shirt to show his scar. Will laughs and says it’s funny. Jen comes home from work just in time for dinner. Bill says he’s an observer and not a participant in so many activities now and says it bothers him he can’t take a big role like he used to. Jen says she wants Bill back to normal for his sake. Jen asks how his back is today and he says he was up working then had to go back and lie down flat. She says he looks good today.
Bill has a beard rocking and Jen smiles about him not shaving. She says he looks cut either way. She says they’re running simulations at work for Ebola in case they get a patient that has it. Will tells her not to talk to daddy. Jen asks if she can talk to him and he says okay. Bill tells Will that the grandparents have to go soon. Jen thanks them for helping out the last two weeks. Bill says it was great that they could stay and spend quality time with the kids and says it was huge for him. Bill goes to lie down and says he misses tucking them in and reading to them at night.
He says that’s one of the things he misses the most and is ready to move past this. He says it feels like forever but says they’ll get through it. We see Jen at work running scenarios for a potential Ebola patient. They are working on checklists and other materials. Jen says it’s not likely they’ll have a major outbreak but says health care providers are most at risk. She says simulation is key to preparation and that’s keeping her really busy. She says she has all this stress at work plus Bill’s recovery to deal with at home.
She and a team are developing a scenario where a clinical team can go through the measures safely to prepare. The actress comes into the hospital with her baby. They have some observers there taking notes. The woman says they got back from Liberia seven days ago. They take them into an isolated room. Jen says they know to expect a scenario and says it can happen any time. She says it’s designed to test whether the system of care will work if the need arises. Jen says the simulations allow the healthcare providers to practice how to put on the protective gear.
Part of the scenario is to transfer an Ebola patient to the west campus facility and they bring in an ambulance and the EMTs have to be in protective gear too. They take the actress and dummy baby for an ambulance ride and send them to the emergency center at the other branch. The actress is doing a good job and simulate a body fluid spill which then also becomes critical for containment, clean up and to keep it from spreading to anyone.
The actress cries and holds her fake baby. Jen tells them the simulation went well and tells Jessica (the actress) she did a great job. Jen talks to those who participated and says they identified some areas of improvement and a lot of areas that are going great. Jen says if it happens tomorrow, they’re ready.
It’s Halloween and Jen says they have to teach the kids how to trick or treat since they never have before. Will is dressed as Woody and Zoey is Jessie. Jen says her mom helped make the costumes. She says the kids are obsessed with Toy Story right now. Bill is doing better and is moving around without the walker. He’s still in pain but says it’s getting better. Jen and her mom take the kids out to trick or treat and Jen tells the kids that Baba has to stay home.
Jen has a friend of hers along to go with them. Bill says he’s bummed not to be out trick or treating but says the kids look adorable. They have the kids in a wagon and are rolling them down the sidewalk. Jen explains the rules to Will and Zoey. She asks Will what he’s supposed to say and he says “william.” They try to get the kids to say trick or treat and they seem to have it. They’re at the first house and get them out of the wagon.
The neighbor crouches down and Will grabs into the candy bucket. Jen says the kids seem to think they’re just out visiting people and Jen says thankfully they have nice neighbors. She says Will found a guitar and started playing it. Jen has to drag the kids out to go to the next house. They get to the next house and Jen tells them to say trick or treat and not go inside. They knock and Will says “treat.” They get more candy and the kids are excited. Jen says by the third house, they had it down.
Jen says she’s proud of how well the kids are doing and says they don’t seem too scared of the scary decorations at some houses. Jen says this Halloween is a total success. Jen says they got a lot of candy and had a lot of fun. She says the only downside is that Bill didn’t get to go but says that will make next year even more special. Bill sneaks one piece of candy and Will says no more. The kids tell Bill just one and no more.
Will says he wants more candy. Bill says just one tonight. Bill says it’s been an awesome year despite the surgery. He says the kids are now acclimated, have friends, are in school, smile all the time. He says his goal is to get better to spend more time with the kids. Jen says this surgery isn’t small potatoes, especially at their age. She says she’s very proud of Bill and says he came through it well.
THE END!