A tale of surgery, perseverance and healing

A few weeks ago, I came across a meme that made me chuckle. It said “Remember when you could lay in one position for hours? Now you have to rotate like a rotisserie chicken every 15 minutes or a hip hurts.” I shared it on Facebook – and in no time the likes and comments rolled in.

Clearly, I’m not the only one experiencing joint pain.

Mine is of the sore hip variety that seems to keep flaring up. Two orthopedic surgeons have assured me that I won’t need be needing a hip replacement any time soon (if ever), but an MRI showed bursitis, tendinosis and some minor muscle tears.

I’ve tried steroid shots (which worked really well, until they didn’t), I go to physical therapy as needed. Most recently, I had a PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injection, a not-so-new, yet not yet mainstream treatment.  I’m just a few weeks post shot – and full results can take a few months, so the jury is out on how effective this will be for me. I have my fingers crossed.

As I mentioned, I’m not alone in dealing with joint aches and pains. It seems to be a rite of passage for many of us as we enter middle age and beyond.  It’s a cruel joke that by the time we reach retirement age and have the time and inclination to pursue an active lifestyle, our joints begin to protest.

I know many people who’ve had joint replacement surgery – some as early as their fifties, more in their sixties and several in their seventies. Others get regular steroid or gel injections – or get by with sturdy knee braces. It’s no fun to be stymied by pain when you just want to go for a walk, play a round of golf or a few pickleball matches – or even just play on the floor with the grandchildren. It can be demoralizing and depressing to be sidelined when you just want to be active.

Few people know that feeling more than my friend Claire Prudhomme. She’s had surgery on four joints within five years and says, “Going through surgery, like a joint replacement, is definitely a mind-body experience.”

“Recovery isn’t always a straight path. Some days are harder than others, but every small step forward adds up. You have to remind yourself to be patient and kind to yourself. Having a good support system—whether it’s family, friends, or even a great physical therapist—makes a huge difference. It’s important to remember that you’re not going through this alone.”

Claire is an experienced massage therapist and even taught massage courses at Parkland College. She also teaches water fitness, is certified in Reiki (energy) therapy and aqua-therapy. For someone so well versed in human anatomy and wellness, she’s had a lot of bad luck with her own.

In 2019, she tripped over a ladder in her driveway, fell and severely injured her right elbow, dislocating it, shattering her ulna and tearing shoulder ligaments. This injury and the resulting surgery resulted in a long recovery – taking three years of therapy. “It was so severe that I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to work as a massage therapist again. It took a huge emotional toll.”

Yet, she feels that injury was a sign, “When I broke my arm, I felt it was a sign to slow down. I was working like crazy, running from thing to thing. The break was so major that I had to learn to convalesce.”She spent time drawing simple sketches which forced her to use her arm and hand to help with the recovery. She also did pool therapy, drawing on her experience as an instructor.

After recovering from arm surgery, Claire noticed that her left hip was giving her a lot of pain. She knew that it wasn’t getting better when even her pool workouts weren’t offering relief and she had a hip replacement in February of 2022. It was much less traumatic than her arm surgery and she was able to recover after about three months by being diligent with her Physical Therapy.

“I’ve learned the importance of consistency. Doing your exercises regularly, even when you don’t feel like it, is the key to regaining strength, flexibility, and confidence. Those little efforts each day really do add up. For me, setting small goals kept me motivated and helped make the whole process more manageable.”

In September of 2024, Claire went under the knife once again. This time for a bilateral knee replacement. She had been having bone on bone pain for several years. The knee pain was also causing problems in her hips and feet as it’s common for pain to move from joint to joint due to compensation.

She chose to do both knees at once instead of separately because, “While it is better to do one at a time,  I just wanted to get it over with – one surgery and one anesthesia.”

Claire soon learned that this would not be an easy recovery. “It was the most painful surgery of the three. It required immense willpower to get through the pain and adjust to the physical changes in my body.” She remembers saying to herself, “I know I can’t get out of this, and I can’t go back in time – do I just die here from the pain or push through?”

She’s now four months post-op and is seeing great progress. She has exceeded her expectations for strength and range of motion due in part to the pool workouts she started only six weeks post-op.

Claire credits her Physical Therapist, Matt Gordon (of Ivy PT) for her successful recovery, but her internal motivation also had a lot to do with it. “I don’t want to be an invalid. I wanted to become independent as fast I could after each of my surgeries. I was driving a month after my knee surgery. I knew that if I wanted to get back to anything I had to be consistent and push myself.”

“With age, I’ve realized that staying healthy is just as much about determination and self-care as it is about medical treatments. A positive mindset and steady effort truly make all the difference. Recovery isn’t just about healing your body—it’s about nurturing your mind and spirit, too.” That’s good advice for all of us struggling with injuries, aches and pains – regardless of our age.