How Two New Hips Helped Jenny Take a Big Step Forward

Jenny started feeling pain in her left hip about a year and a half ago. At first, she tried conservative treatments such as physical therapy and even underwent a labral repair. When that didn’t work and her pain increased, she went to see Dr. Amy Wasterlain, hip and knee surgeon at Middlesex Orthopedic & Spine Associates.
 
By this time, Jenny was discouraged and disheartened: “I was not yet 50 years old, and I’m used to being active with my four kids. Plus, I work on a school campus where I move around a lot. I was incredibly sad that I couldn’t live the way I was used to.”
 
After Dr. Wasterlain evaluated Jenny and assessed her x-rays, she recommended a hip replacement. “I was nervous,” recalled Jenny. “It felt like a drastic measure at my age. But I wasn’t sleeping well, I wasn’t walking well, and I wasn’t able to do any activities.”
 
Dr. Wasterlain took Jenny’s work schedule into consideration and scheduled her surgery at the beginning of winter break so she didn’t miss too many days of school.
 
“I trusted Dr. Wasterlain because she was candid about her process and I was excited about how she does the incision, which is completely different from the one my dad had years ago,” said Jenny. Dr. Wasterlain uses a direct anterior approach from the front of the hip through a bikini incision.
 
The surgery was a success. “I couldn’t believe how fast I felt better – I felt no pain,” explained Jenny. “I thought I’d be down for the count over the holidays, and I was actually a contributing member of the family!”
 
At her post-operative appointment, Jenny asked Dr. Wasterlain to evaluate her other hip as well. While physical therapy was strengthening her operated (left) hip, it was now obvious how painful her right hip had become. Dr. Wasterlain agreed that her other hip was deteriorating – and fast.
 
“Since I had such a successful first hip replacement, I knew how much better I could feel, so I didn’t even wait until summer break. I took the first available surgical date in the spring,” said Jenny.
 
Jenny advises others not to wait to be evaluated if they’re experiencing hip pain: “I lost so many nights of sleep and missed so many days of activities because I kept waiting for things to get better. I can’t believe where I am today versus where I was one year ago. For me, surgery was not a step backward but a massive step forward.”
 
Only a few months after her second hip replacement, Jenny is back to walking, running, swimming and weight training. “My energy is completely back. I can sleep again; it’s fantastic!” She’s looking forward to hiking, swimming and biking adventures with her kids this summer.
 
“I feel like I have a new lease on life,” said Jenny.