Janie Bush: Loving life again – thanks to a new hip

For Athenian Janie Bush, being inactive is not an option. So, as a grandmother who loves to garden and exercise, the disabling hip pain that was limiting her life quickly became intolerable.

When it was time for a hip replacement, Janie chose St. Mary’s, the hospital in which she, her husband, and her children were born.

"We have chosen St. Mary’s for many years," she says. "It is my family’s hospital of choice because of the professional staff and advancement with medicine."

Janie’s hip problems began in late 2005. In just a few short weeks, the pain became so severe that she could not walk around the grocery store without leaning on a cart. She had to stop exercising, a major loss for a woman who loves Pilates, yoga and walking, and is the development director for the Athens YMCA.

Even gardening became excruciating.

"I couldn’t get down to work with the plants. I can’t stand to see a weed, but it was terribly painful to get out here and work."

When the pain began interfering with her ability to sleep, she called her doctor, who evaluated her condition and helped her review her options. Janie decided that total hip replacement gave her the best chance of returning to the activities she loves. She had her surgery on Dec. 27, 2007, at St. Mary’s, which ranks in the top 5 percent of American hospitals for joint replacements and patient safety.

The surgery went well. Following nationally established best practices, St. Mary’s physical therapy staff got Janie up and walking within 24 hours of her procedure. It was the start of her journey to a full recovery.

Highly successful surgery

Hip replacement is major surgery, but patients enjoy a high success rate. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 193,000 total hip replacements are performed each year in the U.S., and more than 90 percent of patients are satisfied with the results.

Arthritis is the leading cause of debilitating hip pain, the AAOS reports. The hip is a "ball and socket" joint. The top of the thigh bone (femur) forms a ball that fits into a shallow socket in the pelvic bone. In a healthy joint, smooth cartilage lines the surfaces of these bones. Arthritis − which can be caused by the wear and tear of aging, autoimmune disease, or injury − wears away this protective cartilage. When the cartilage is gone, the rough bones rub against each other, causing pain and stiffness.

For some people, medication, lifestyle changes, and physical and occupational therapy can ease symptoms. People who are overweight or obese also may benefit from losing weight, which reduces stress on the hip joint. But often, as happened with Janie, surgery is the only possibility for reducing pain and restoring quality of life.

During surgery, the surgeon removes the damaged bone and replaces it with a new joint made of highly polished metal, plastic or ceramic. The procedure most often is performed under general anesthesia, and rehabilitation usually begins the day after surgery; studies show that a fast return to supervised weight-bearing activity leads to the best outcomes. With proper exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding damaging activities such as jogging, today’s artificial hips can last for many years.

Getting better

At first, Janie’s recovery went slowly, but her doctor and physical therapists with St. Mary’s Home Health Care Services assured her she was on the right track.

"For about three months I felt like I was making very slow progress. Then one night I went to bed and the next morning I was miraculously pain-free," she says.

On March 16, only two and a half months after her surgery, Janie returned to her beloved gardening. She was able to walk, bend, kneel and stoop without significant pain. Over the next few weeks, she returned one-by-one to her passions of gardening, Pilates, yoga and walking.

To her delight, she also found new energy for playing with her five grandchildren, ages 6 months to 8 years. "Talk about a passion!" she says.

"I am grateful that I’m able to do all this now," Janie concludes. "I missed being active. It is so wonderful to be able to do the things I love again."

Is hip replacement right for you?

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says you may benefit from hip replacement surgery if:

• Hip pain limits your everyday activities such as walking or bending.
• Hip pain continues while resting, either day or night.
• Stiffness in a hip limits your ability to move or lift your leg.
• You have little pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs or glucosamine sulfate.
• You have harmful or unpleasant side effects from your hip medications.
• Other treatments such as physical therapy or the use of a gait aid such as a cane do not relieve hip pain.

Want to learn more?

Visit the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons at http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/main.cfm