Sharon Bigler

After suffering with arthritis in both knees for more than ten years, and finally reaching the point where my pain was almost intolerable, my son suggested I contact Dr. O'Brien (who was recommended by a friend) at HSS to discuss having both knees replaced. I live in a small town in PA, and at the time, when I asked my local surgeon about bilateral knee replacement, he refused to do both at the same time. I did my research on HSS, and even found people in my town who had surgery there, so I knew that HSS was the Rolls Royce of orthopedic surgery. I met with Dr. O'Brien in May 2014, and scheduled my surgery for the end of October. I then went home, found a personal trainer, and began training for my surgery like it was an Olympic event. By the end of October, I had lost 40 pounds, and was stronger than I had been my entire life. I had both knees replaced on October 21, 2014, spent four days in HSS, where I received wonderful care, and then nine days in outpatient rehab; I then returned home to PA. I went to physical therapy until Dr. O'Brien released me in January, and then went right back to the gym, where I began rebuilding both my strength and my stamina. I just hit my six month post-surgery mark, have lost a total of 70 lbs., and am able to do burpees, squats, and even do a little gentle running. The family joke is that if there's ever a zombie apocalypse, I can save myself. Having both knees done at the same time was the right decision for me, and I can't say enough about Dr. O'Brien, my surgery results, and the care and commitment I found at HSS. Many thanks to HSS and Dr. O'Brien!