In retrospect, I waited too long with an arthritic hip before hip replacement. There are no guarantees with surgery, but had I known how easy my course was to be, I would have had the surgery months earlier. It was same day surgery, and I ate breakfast and dinner at home on the day of surgery. No narcotic pain medication was needed and I was back to work within a few days with no difficulty walking or on the stairs.
A year and a half later, the constant pain I had is a distant memory and the operated hip is more stable and functional than the control. I have had no complication or difficulty with the operated hip, and was able to return to the full range of activities I enjoyed before the hip pain became a limitation.
This was my first experience with major surgery, and Dr. McLawhorn’s team at HSS could not have been more professional or reassuring. I recommend them every chance I get.