Joint Camp - In the Patients' Own Words

William (81)

"My knee bothered me but I put it off for years. Finally it got so bad I came over here and had my knee done. Before I came in I bought a walker, got a pair of crutches from a friend and borrowed by brother-in-law's cane. I was all set.

"I used the walker for a week, never touched the crutches and gave up the cane after two or three days. It's amazing. The operation was a success. The therapy was good – it works great. In fact, I came over here for a treatment and a gentleman said he was going to have his knee done. I said he came to the right place because I'm living proof."

John (73)

"I was having trouble with my knees for about 15 years. I kept putting off surgery until I finally made up my mind in 2001 and said that after Christmas I would have my knee replaced. In the meantime, my wife started having problems with her knee. The doctor decided her knee was in worse shape than mine so I said, 'You go first.'

"She had surgery in March of 2002 and I was her coach. She did so well and then I had mine replaced in July. I found out that its more fun being the coach than it is to be the patient.

"The Joint Camp was so informative. If I had know what it was going to be like back before I had the surgery, I would have gone ahead earlier. If you know people who are having problems with their knees and just putting it off, get them in and put them through one of your information sessions. Let them know what it is all about. It will be very helpful in letting people make up their mind.

"Today, I don't have any pain and I can hardly tell one knee from the other. Lynchburg General, the nursing staff and doctors - I give them high fives. They were super."

Nancy (64)

"I went back to my doctor and told him that I had a bill for him and he was startled. I told him I was one of the best patients he ever had and I broadcast it everywhere I go.

"I had both knees replaced last year six months apart. I can't remember ever, ever feeling this good before. I had a wonderful coach. I'm still doing therapy on my own in the pool. It just keeps all my joints going good. The care was wonderful and I do thank you."

Charles (67)

"I had both knees replaced seven weeks apart. And I am wonderful today.

"I do everything I used to do and I work hard. I handle heavy equipment and I've got no restrictions whatsoever. I give credit to most of these things to three factors. One, I had an excellent doctor and wonderful hospital stay. Therapy was just superior. If it wasn't for the therapy I don't think I'd be in the shape I am now.

"Another key thing is that whole exercise stuff. I've talked to several people who are having a lot of problems and they aren't doing those exercises. You've got to do those exercises. My knees are great and I wouldn't take anything for my knees right now."

Yvonne Ebo: (67)

"I am 67 years old and I am the senior member of my family right now. Most of my family, for the last five generations, has not lived past 65.

"I told my co-workers 'I am not going to do anything about my knees.' But I'm telling you that I retired, and I was not able to go where my friends went. Then in March of 2001 I had my left knee done and on my anniversary month last year I did the right knee. And I just wouldn't take anything for it.

"I continue doing my exercises and I feel great. I visit my sisters, and I go and be with the grand kids. I'm the senior member of the family and I'm past 65 and I'm almost up to the next decade. Like I say I'm having a wonderful time and I wouldn't take anything for these two good knees."

Gene (75)

"My wife and I live in Halifax County near South Boston. I've been active all my life: farming, hunting, fishing. I've been retired about 11 years but about 3 months before I retired I was in a violent car crash - almost wiped me out. I wound up in University Hospital. I was broken up - arms, legs, hips, pelvis. And the people put me back together.

"I have really enjoyed life since I retired, but my knees were giving me trouble for a number of years. I went back to Charlottesville and they looked at me and said I needed both knees replaced.

"Living in South Boston, it's a pretty good trip to UVA, and I had heard good things about Lynchburg General so I came to Blue Ridge Ortho and met Dr. Albers and I told him I was there for a 2nd opinion. I found that he and his staff were so pleasant and took so much time, that I decided to have my knee replacements up here at Lynchburg General. And I'm so glad I did. Last July I had my right knee replaced, and we're waiting for the pain to tell me when to do the left one. Sometimes it's getting close to it.

"I remain active. I continue to be a beekeeper running a large number of bee hives and pollinating crops. But my experience at this hospital . . . it was tops. On the first day I arrived at therapy I met a lady who said, 'We'll have you dancing and playing golf in three months.' I said that's great because I never could dance and I could barely play a little golf. But I have said and continue to say that some of God's angels work at Centra Health and I've met a lot of them."

Jean (62) & Jarrod:

Jean: "When I moved down here from Levittown, New York I had bad knees and knew it was inevitable that I was going to have to have replacement surgery. But it wasn't until I retired and I tried to play that I realized I couldn't wait, that it really restricted me. I wasn't sleeping. I was getting cranky. We were anticipating grand children and who wants to travel in pain? I found I was restricted and I tried different medications. Nothing was working so my family physician referred me to a doctor in Roanoke but I wasn't happy."

"I thought 'I have to go back to Long Island for my knee surgery' and thought this is going to be difficult. So I called my New York surgeon and asked what are we going to do? He said I can send you to the University of Virginia. I have some cohorts there, but I sure wish you were near Lynchburg.

"I said we are. We're an hour away."

"He said, 'I had a young man who worked with me – Michael Diminick - and I knew he had a bright future. He was very good, very caring.

"I came to him and I have to be honest, the first time I met him I thought he was a little bit young.

He said he'd treat it conservatively first and he did. We tried arthroscopic, we tried medication. It was just buying time. It might have been a good luck omen. Because the surgery was schedule for the fall and our son was married ten years and had no children. And before the surgery he called us and told us momentarily they were going to adopt a little boy. He said they were going to keep it secret but he wanted to call and give me something positive to think of.
Three weeks later they got the little guy and he is the joy of our life.

The whole experience was positive. The coach – my husband Jarrod - was great. It was payback time. He's a kidney transplant patient and he's had a lot of medical problems and he's always said 'what can I ever do to repay you.' And I said, 'Some day.'

Jarrod: "You know what makes this hospital great? When I was in Boston they have a great hospital with Harvard, and they use one word, and I use the same word here: education. They teach you what is going to happen up front. The same thing goes on with the Joint Camp, and I think that's a big plus.

Jean: "I can tell you when I said I was going to have my knees done, everybody was negative, everybody. 'Oh, it's going to be terrible!'

"For me, it was just the opposite. I did both knees 100 days apart and I would do it again tomorrow."