Hip Replacement Surgery Relieves Pain in 62-Year-Old Woman
June 29, 2016
When 62-year-old Cathy Peltz heard the words “You need a hip replacement” from her doctor, she was shocked. Like most of us, the assistant in University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center’s Information Services department thought she could just take some over-the-counter medication and the pain would eventually go away.
“I wasn’t prepared for that news,” said Cathy. “Joint replacement wasn’t on my radar; I needed time to process what it meant for me.”
The pain she had been feeling in her right hip started slowly and progressively got worse. “I limped through most of 2015,” said Cathy. Her friends and colleagues at work noticed that her gait was changing as she tried to compensate for the pain in one hip by leaning more on the other. “They used to say that I had a hitch in my giddy-up.”
My recovery went very well, and I owe a lot of that to the physical therapists at UH Rehabilitation Services & Sports Medicine at UH Avon Health Center.
– Cathy Peltz
In late 2015, she came to the realization that hip replacement surgery was her only option. Cortisone injections had not alleviated the pain that was caused by arthritis in her right hip, so she sought out orthopedic surgeon William Stanfield, MD, of the Center for Orthopedics.
“Dr. Stanfield came highly recommended by a colleague who previously had her hip replaced by him, and another friend knew him from working in his office,” Cathy said. “Those recommendations made me feel comfortable placing my care in his hands.”
Cathy’s surgery took place in February 2016 at UH Elyria Medical Center. She took advantage of a program offered by the hospital’s Center for Bone & Joint Reconstruction that is often referred to as “Joint Camp.” This alternative approach to post-operative rehabilitation uses a goal-oriented and team-motivated atmosphere to encourage patients who are undergoing joint replacement procedures to help each other recover. A group of patients – referred to as “guests” at the Center for Bone & Joint Reconstruction at UH Elyria Medical Center – gather for a meal and educational program before surgery. After their procedures, the guests are brought back together for rehabilitation.
“I appreciated the joint camp process,” said Cathy, whose sister attended the pre-surgery meal and education session with her. “After surgery, the other patients and I worked together as a team. We had a truly incredible staff of doctors, nurses, technicians and physical therapists.”
Cathy was discharged to her home just two days after surgery, and was back to work in four weeks. “My recovery went very well, and I owe a lot of that to the physical therapists at UH Rehabilitation Services & Sports Medicine at UH Avon Health Center. They were incredible – both motivating and caring.”
William Stanfield, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement, sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. For an appointment with Dr. Stanfield or any other joint replacement and preservation specialist at UH, please call 1-866-UH4-CARE.