Dave’s Story
Dave is no stranger to the difference a total hip replacement can make in getting patients back to living their lives.
He had his right hip replaced in December 2016 and his left hip replaced in October 2018. Dave’s surgeon performed ANTERIOR ADVANTAGE™ Hip Replacement for both surgeries.
The pain was more intense leading up to Dave’s second hip surgery, but having been through it before, he knew there was a solution. Dave’s surgeon told him his left hip was more degenerated than his right. The hip would occasionally lockup, and the pain made sleeping difficult, which often left Dave feeling tired and irritable.
“There would be times that I would feel the hip give out on me,” said Dave. “That was concerning. It put a little bit of doubt in my mind. I think anytime you have some type of ailment, it affects you mentally. I think there’s a direct correlation there.”
Dave would have had his second surgery sooner, but he had something he wanted to do first. His son, Ben, star of the 2016 season of ABC’s “The Bachelor,” was invited to play in a celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe and invited Dave to caddy for him. Dave is an avid golfer and couldn’t resist. Dave prepared for the tournament as best he could, walking every day and carrying his own clubs to build up his stamina. He focused on walking straight lines and making no sudden turns. He managed to make it through the three-day event, but he knew afterward that it was time to have his left hip replaced.
“I was looking forward to the day of surgery,” said Dave, who was confident going into the second surgery. “There were no questions or anxiety as far as going in and getting it done.”
Dave prepared for the surgery by doing preop exercises, so he was able to return home the same day as the surgery. He began his rehabilitation immediately and was climbing stairs the same day. He was also disciplined about icing and elevating his leg after surgery, and he believes his diligence in preparation and rehabilitation led to a speedier recovery. Two weeks after surgery, Dave was golfing again, and at six weeks, he was hiking in the Grand Canyon with his wife.
“It’s just an incredible difference.,” said Dave, comparing how he felt before and after surgery. “The arthritis side of things—that’s the big thing. When you lose that nagging feeling that you’ve been suffering with for such a long time—it’s night and day. It’s a life-changing experience, quite frankly.”
