Patient Name: Angela
Procedure: Knee Surgery
Provider: Dr. Edwards
Location: Sentara MJH
As a school principal, I’m always on the move and strive to be fully engaged with my faculty and students. But during the past few years, severe arthritis pain in both knees made walking difficult, causing me to spend more and more of my working hours in the school office. Though steroid injections in the knees helped for a while, those treatments eventually became ineffective. Over time, my gait began to change, and soon I couldn’t even straighten my knees.
My job is demanding, and it took everything I had to be at work each day. I wanted to be able to visit the classrooms and walk in the hallways greeting students, but the pain in my knees made that difficult. It totally consumed my life, and I was feeling ineffective as a principal.
Arthritis runs in my family. I remember my grandmother having such a severe case of arthritis that she eventually needed a wheelchair to get around. I wanted to be able to walk into my golden years, so I knew I needed to do something about my knees.
My family doctor referred me to John Edwards, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Sentara Martha Jefferson Orthopedics. In March, Dr. Edwards performed joint replacement surgery on both of my knees at the same time.
Most surgeons don’t do both knee replacements at the same time, but Dr. Edwards said I was very healthy otherwise and had been successful in losing weight before my surgery. These factors, in addition to having a good support system at home, made me a good candidate for having both joints done at once.
So far, I have been incredibly happy with the results of the procedure. I’m now able to ride m exercise bike and spend time with students on the playground during recess, and I’ve even returned to singing in her church choir.
Everyone at Sentara Martha Jefferson was so caring, and I’m so glad I had this surgery. This procedure has completely changed my life. It’s honestly like night and day. People tell me how much better I’m able to walk now. I tell them it’s thanks to the good Lord and to the best surgeon in the world, Dr. John Edwards. I’m pain-free and very thankful. It’s a whole new life for me.