“I have never looked back.”

Ivan’s Story

I am in construction, and the last five years have been tough doing what I do for a living. The last two years were almost unbearable, even with pain medication. I could not hike, climb, work or enjoy any part of life. Walking with a severe limp left me tired, frustrated and angry. I couldn’t remember what it was like to have a night of sound, restful sleep. My pain carried into my relationships with my wife and my entire family. I became unbearable to live with. I was getting old before my time. I am 53, a 6'1" athlete who weighs 195, but years of extreme sports coupled with osteoarthritis left my hip ravaged.

The day I could no longer climb into my truck because of the excruciating pain was the day I called my wife and said “It’s over. I’m finished.” I called Dr. Thomasson and asked how fast we could get the surgery done.

The pain was gone when I woke up in recovery. Surgical pain, but no hip joint pain. I needed help to get to my feet the first time. Hurting from surgery, I took my first steps with a walker. The first two days were rough, but then came Thursday morning. I walked the hospital hallways on my own with my walker, and I knew I had this. I have never looked back. 

A great team of healthcare professionals and therapists gave me an outlook on life that I didn’t think I would ever get back. Three weeks after surgery, I climbed on my spin bike, slowly awakening my new hip and atrophied muscles, smiling and grateful for technology and advancements in medicine. I returned to work after five weeks while continuing outpatient therapy.