Helen White loved to walk. Any time she found an opportunity–whether before or after work, during a break or at lunch–she would walk for exercise and enjoyed it. However, over time, White began to develop pain in her hips, making it a little harder to walk and move each day. The debilitating pain eventually affected her ability to function and live her life – forcing her to use a walker and eliminating walking for fun.
White, 57, of Tar Heel, N.C., sought help from her primary care and pain management providers but managing the pain would not be enough. White was later referred to Dr. Riyaz Jinnah, of Southeastern Orthopedics, an affiliate of Southeastern Health, because of his extensive background with hip replacements.
“I evaluated her for severe bilateral hip pain that she had been having for at least a year,” said Dr. Jinnah. “It was limiting her normal daily activities. After examining her and seeing her X-rays, it was clear she had severe hip osteoarthritis in both her hips,”
SeHealth implemented a total joint program when Dr. Jinnah joined the organization in September 2013, and White was one of Dr. Jinnah’s first total hip replacement surgery patients when he relocated to Lumberton from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. White had her first surgery, a total replacement of her left hip, in October 2013 at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton.
“The next day I almost felt like myself again. It was like instant relief on that side,” said White. “I didn’t have that throbbing pain anymore but I was still using the walker because I had the right one still to do.”
Following her successful progress with physical therapy on her left hip in rehab and at home, White scheduled her second total replacement surgery on her right hip in January 2014.
White said she knew what to expect the second time around. She knew the exercises for rehab and how to maneuver around properly, allowing her to be able to cook and care for herself on her own.
“I have the utmost trust in Southeastern’s hospital and the ultimate trust in Dr. Jinnah. I don’t think I could have recuperated as quickly if I didn’t trust the doctors,” White said. Dr. Jinnah added that White worked hard at her rehabilitation and has done well with very few limitations and no pain.
“I’m almost back to normal,” said White. “I find myself every day getting better and better. Now I’m back to walking and it is a total new me.”
Leading up to her orthopedic surgeries, White also battled with high blood pressure issues that were triggered by the pain in both her hips. Following the surgeries, it was like a total transformation for her because she doesn’t have blood pressure problems anymore either.
White returned to work six months following her second surgery with the encouragement of her surgeon and due to the progress of her recovery. Since her surgeries, she has been impressed with her progress as well as all the things she can do now that she couldn’t do before the surgery, like bending, putting her shoes on, walking on her own without a walker and just living.
“I did not want to go through that but I realized that there is help,” said White. “There are qualified doctors out there that really care about their patients. The staff at Dr. Jinnah’s office is totally amazing. You are not just a number or just a client, you are a person and they treat you like that. And that’s what I really appreciate about the orthopedic clinic.”
For individuals interested in learning more about joint replacement surgery as well as for patients scheduled for joint surgery, Southeastern Orthopedics hosts a Joint Camp the second Tuesday of each month. Attendees meet Southeastern Orthopedics providers and Southeastern Rehabilitation therapists to learn about preparation before surgery and transition to home or rehabilitation after surgery.
The next Joint Camp will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 8 in the Southeastern Orthopedics lobby on the second floor of Southeastern Health Park, located at 4901 Dawn Drive beside Lumberton Ford. Registration begins at 5 p.m.; the camp will be held from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. For more information or to register, call (910) 671-4200. For more information about Southeastern Orthopedics, logon to www.seorthopedics.org.
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