REBECCA: I’m Rebecca. I’ve been an operating room nurse for thirty years. I became a nurse because everybody in my family’s a nurse. My grandma’s a nurse, my sister’s a nurse, my mom’s a nurse. They make it look so much fun that as a little girl growing up it was kind of the thing I wanted to do most. I’m a very active person, it’s what keeps me inspired in life. During my job I probably am on my feet seventy-five percent of the time, it’s pretty rigorous. The pain is kind of a gradual thing, you know, I first noticed it while I was doing a workout tape, where you lift your leg and I thought ‘hm, that felt kind of funny.’ I talked to my orthopaedic surgeon, so he did an exam and said ‘looks like it’s your hip.’ And he assured me that, by the time I was fifty, I would have bilateral total hip replacements. The final comment is ‘you let me know when you’re ready to do this.’ Living with pain gives you an odd sense of reality, you walk around and see the world and but you don’t really see it because you have this gnawing ache. The turning point for me to decide to have the surgery, we went on our family vacation, we came home and we were watching the videos. And I looked at myself walking like this, and I thought, “I don’t want to live my life like this anymore.’ So I booked my surgery.
SUPER: Received first DePuy Orthopaedics Hip in 2004.
REBECCA: I had my first hip replaced in 2004, and the second one about a year later. The rehab for a total hip surgery, I thought was refreshing.
SUPER: DePuy Orthopaedics Hips: A heritage of more than 40 years.
REBECCA: It was great to get into the swimming pool, you know, gradually getting stronger and feel confident. It was amazing how quickly you could get back to doing the activities that you used to, and I don’t think you appreciate it as much until you can’t do something. The biggest realization after surgery, you can live your life as you choose. I got my life back. It was a revelation.
SUPER: Rebecca: 7 years of Real Life Testing.
REBECCA: My new outlook on life is to live my life, to not be restricted in my activities by pain. My advice to other people, and I have a lot of people ask me about the procedure of hip replacement, don’t be afraid. Go see your doctor. It truly made me the person I was born to be.
SUPER: DePuy Orthopaedics Hips. Real Life Tested.
SUPER: Important safety information. Hip replacement is not for everyone. There are potential risks. Recovery takes time and success depends on factors like age, weight and activity level. Only an orthopaedic surgeon can tell if hip replacement is right for you.
SUPER: DePuy Orthopaedics Knees. Real Life Tested.
SUPER: Important safety information. Knee replacement is not for everyone. There are potential risks. Recovery takes time and success depends on factors like age, weight and activity level. Only an orthopaedic surgeon can tell if knee replacement is right for you.
Red Banner SUPER: For other Real Life Tested stories visit RealLifeTested.com
LOGO: DePuy Orthopaedics Inc.
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