“Getting a new hip gave me my life back,” says Lynda Walter,
68, of Granite Falls, NC. “I would tell anyone considering a hip
replacement not to be afraid or delay the procedure because they fear
the pain or recovery. For me, the pain was gone the moment I woke up from
surgery.”
Now that she’s had both hips and a knee replaced, Lynda feels she
knows a little something about orthopedic surgery. Originally from Long
Island, New York, she learned about EmergeOrtho’s Hickory practice
from a friend in Long Island who referred her as a previous patient before
she and husband John moved here in July of 2002.
Before considering the life-changing step of getting her left hip replaced,
Lynda suffered pain that began with lumbar stenosis, a condition that
involves a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back. For Lynda,
the pain increased gradually radiating down her leg. After several steroid
injections that offered only minimal, temporary pain relief, she consulted
orthopedic surgeon Dr. Donald Campbell at EmergeOrtho. By this time, the
pain had grown so severe she was in a wheelchair. Standing or walking
had become unbearable.
“X-rays showed the ball of my hip had completely deteriorated,”
says Lynda. “It looked as if I just had two stumps instead of a
hip joint. Ultimately, Dr. Campbell said I needed a new hip.”
Lynda knew she was facing a major surgical procedure with an intense recovery
period. “Since I couldn’t do any of the recommended pre-surgical
exercises, all I could do to prepare for surgery was to get mentally prepared
and set up a kind of base camp where I could recuperate,” says Lynda.
“I gathered my phone, laptop, book, remotes, and everything else
I might need within easy reach of where I planned to spend most of my
time after surgery. Fortunately we have a single-level home, so I didn’t
have to deal with stairs. We installed a raised toilet seat and removed
all loose rugs to eliminate possible tripping hazards too.”
Lynda remembers how wonderful her caregivers were at CVMC before and after
the December 2016 surgery. Just a few hours post surgery, a physical therapist
got her up and helped her put weight on her hip with the assistance of
a walker. Then, after two nights at CVMC, she was sent home where she
had visits from home health physical therapists for two weeks. They assigned
her exercises to improve her range of motion, improve stability and build
strength. Throughout the entire recovery period, John, a retired wrestling
coach, offered enthusiastic encouragement, pushing her to gradually walk
longer distances. Now, almost six months following surgery, Lynda tracks
her steps on a smart phone to achieve her daily goal of walking at least
a mile and a half every day. Some days she even makes it three miles.
Lynda adds, “From the moment I got to CVMC, everyone was very accommodating
and extremely helpful. They made sure I understood what to expect and
they were readily available after I went home too.”
To learn more about Dr. Campbell and the other providers and EmergeOrtho
(formerly called Carolina Orthopedic Specialists), patients may call the
practice located at 2165 Medical Park Dr, Hickory, NC 28602 at 828.324.2800.