“Dr. Shah was nice and very well informed…and the specially trained orthopedic nurses provided a superior level of care. I had such a great experience with my total knee replacement at the Front Range Orthopedics outpatient surgery center that I can’t wait to get my other knee replaced this fall.”
When you can’t find a busy wife, mom, pet guardian, Bronco fan, and realtor Rene Sheridan, you should check the dance floor! Rene loves Zumba, a fitness program that combines Latin and international music with dance moves. She enjoys the stress relief and health benefits of the high-energy dance workouts. Rene has always led an active life, even before having 2 children and 8 pets: 4 dogs and 4 cats. First, she spent long days on her feet as a waitress to pay her way through college and law school. Then, she lived in Germany for 7 years, “We walked everywhere in Berlin. It was great.” Another favorite activity was enjoying time with her dogs daily, going on 5-mile walks, and spending countless hours with them at the dog park. “I was always busy doing something.”
About 2 years ago, Rene’s started experiencing a lot of pain in her knees and sought out help. At her initial appointment with Dr. Shah, they discussed her options. “Dr. Shah was nice and very well informed. A knee replacement was definitely on the table, but we talked about all my options and tried some conservative treatments first.” Rene decided to try cortisone shots. “I expressed my concern when Dr. Shah came into the room with a giant needle that he intended to stick into my knee. He told me it was all about technique and went to work. It hurt less than a flu shot!!! I decided right then and there that if he can deliver a needle into my knee with that much skill, I‘d let him perform surgery on me any day.”
As the cortisone shots became ineffective, Rene’s pain increased, and her quality of life deteriorated. She couldn’t keep up with her daughter, walk the dogs with her husband, or show houses the way she used to – stairs were excruciating. “Anytime I needed to do anything, I had to take 2 aspirin and 2 ibuprofen just to walk.” Due to the decreased activity, Rene started gaining weight. “I knew I had to do something, so I tried to go back to Zumba. I didn’t even make it 20 minutes due to the knee pain. I was almost in tears, realizing I couldn’t do it.” Rene put up with the pain for about 2 years and knew it was time to have surgery and get back to doing what she loved.
Rene had a total knee replacement at the Orthopaedic & Spine Center of the Rockies outpatient surgery center. “I had knee surgery at the hospital before, and I didn’t know what to expect from outpatient surgery, especially for a total knee. But, right away, I was taken back by friendly, courteous nurses to a clean and quiet room. The nurses stayed with me every moment and made me feel confident. The specially trained orthopedic nurses know exactly what you need when you need it. I felt their orthopedic training and experience really provided a superior level of care.”
Just like the Zumba beat, Rene’s recovery has been fast! She used a walker for 3 days then progressed to a cane for 5 days. Rene was on pain medication for a solid couple of weeks but found a lot of relief from icing with the cold therapy unit. “The Ice-Man is the best thing ever made. It is fantastic for pain management.” Rene diligently performed her PT and is exceeding her range of motion goals. Only a couple of months out, and Rene is back to work and feeling great. “Having a good attitude going into surgery is important. I wanted to exceed all expectations and beat all the timelines. Having a positive attitude helped me accomplish those goals- we agree. I really had a great experience, so much so that I can’t wait to get my other knee replaced this fall.”