Before surgery, I could not do any physical activity involving my hip. At the time I was a swimmer. Every day after practice, my teammates would have to help me out of the pool because of the pain. Even outside of practice, my hip would affect every aspect of my life. My high school was two stories, requiring me to climb a flight of stairs to get to one of my classes. By the time I got to the second story, I would be in tears. My experience at Hospital for Special Surgery was nothing but positive. Although recovery was difficult, the staff was very friendly and concerned about making the process as smooth and pain free as they possibly could. Since the surgery, my hip has become completely pain free and I am more active than ever! Although I no longer swim, I became very involved in group fitness classes. Today, I am a cardio kickboxing instructor. This past October, I ran and completed my first half marathon- something that seemed far from possible just four years ago. Thanks to Dr. Kelly and the rest of the staff, I am able to pursue my passion for fitness pain free.