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ynn Waishwell loves the active life.
In her 20s, she backpacked through
Europe and visited the Sahara. But by 61,
weight gain and arthritis had taken their
toll. Her knees constantly ached. She
couldn’t walk without a cane—and she felt
isolated.
“You miss some of the robustness of life
when you’re limited with knee pain,” she
says. So when she decided to have both
knees replaced at Centegra Hip & Knee
Replacement Center, she was ready to do
everything she could to start living again.
Waishwell’s surgeon,
John Daniels, MD, says her
fantastic attitude and effort
made all the difference.
“She put all the work and
effort in,” he says, “and
that’s why she’s got a great
result.”
Be
like
Lynn
5 ways to have a successful joint replacement surgery
me make decisions about my care,”
Waishwell says.
4
.
She attended a surgical class.
The
class reviewed what she could do to
get ready for surgery. It explained pain
management. And it gave her a chance
to ask questions. Most of all, it helped
Waishwell realize she had a role to play in
this experience—and that motivated her
to prepare.
5
.
She followed through with rehab.
After surgery, a rehab program helps
patients regain strength and flexibility.
Waishwell’s recovery included a stay at
a rehab center, followed by outpatient
physical therapy at Centegra Health
Bridge Fitness Center. “I never missed
an appointment,” she says. And she
continues to build her strength and
flexibility—even now that she’s
completed rehab.
ACTIVE AGAIN
Thanks to her new knees, Waishwell is
living in the moment again. She’s even
planning a trip to the Galapagos Islands.
“The world is open,” she says. “I’m ready to
dive in.”
L
5 THINGS LYNN DID RIGHT—
AND YOU CAN TOO
To set herself up for success, Waishwell
took five key steps before and after surgery
that led to a better recovery:
1
.
She lost weight.
Less weight means
less stress on the new joint—and, in
many cases, a quicker recovery. So
Waishwell planned ahead and began
losing weight six months before surgery.
“At first it seemed impossible because I
was very sedentary and in a pretty dark
place,” says Waishwell. But she worked
hard and shed about 55 pounds.
2
.
She adopted a strength routine.
Waishwell worked with a trainer to help
strengthen the leg, arm and core muscles
she would rely on during her recovery.
According to Dr. Daniels, that can be a
big help when it’s time to use those same
muscles after surgery and in rehab.
3
.
She talked with a navigator.
Centegra’s joint navigators are nurses
who help guide patients through the
process—from surgical paperwork to
rehab planning. “She was someone I
could call to discuss my fears and help
Step inside.
Take a virtual
tour of the Centegra Hip &
Knee Replacement Center at
centegra.org/hipandknee
.
What inspires Lynn?
A veteran teacher, Lynn Waishwell
was most inspired by students who
worked hard to improve. They weren’t
necessarily the top students, but they
prevailed. “That’s inspiring to me,”
she says.
Inspired by Lynn? You can follow
her story on Twitter. Search for
@Lynnwwell
.
John Daniels, MD