Kathleen McShane
When severe hip pain made dancing at family weddings unbearable, Kathleen McShane knew it was time for hip replacement. Diagnosed with osteoarthritis at age 49, she was encouraged to wait as long as possible before getting an artificial hip joint.
“I was in a lot of pain,” says Kathleen of her condition before surgery. “I could hardly walk from the parking lot to my office. Dancing at our family weddings was impossible.” That’s when Kathleen said she wanted to schedule the surgery.
As part of Loyola’s joint replacement program, all patients participate in a pre-operative class with orthopaedic nurse specialists. During the class, patients learn about what to expect during and after surgery – from the surgery itself through physical therapy and rehabilitation. “All the communication Loyola provided really made the experience easy to manage,” Kathleen said. “I understood exactly what to expect.”
The same day of surgery, the nurses had Kathleen up and walking. “I was stunned; the pain in my left hip was gone. It was a miracle of modern medicine,” Kathleen exclaims. Six months later, Kathleen was back at Loyola to have her other hip replaced.
Now Kathleen shows off her new hips to her relatives. “I’m so grateful to go to our family weddings and not sit in a chair. It’s so fun to be able to dance again!”