I thought my family physician was telling a bad joke when he read my hip x-rays and declared I was “bone on bone” and that at age 47, I will need ” a hip replacement.” I walked out of his office dazed and dealt with the news (and pain) for another year. My active lifestyle was dissolving at a rapid pace and I knew it was time to face the reality head on. After visiting with an orthopedic surgeon in my town, setting up a total hip replacement operation, I just never felt confident in my decision to go through with it.

I started checking into alternative options, and the next thing I knew I was on the phone with Dr. Rector. We must have talked for an hour, he answered all my questions, patiently and unbiased. I set up an appointment to see if I was a good candidate, and was thrilled to know he thought I would be. One of the things I really liked about Dr. Rector is the fact he never tried to “sell” me on the surgery. The fact that he does both types of surgery (BHR and total hip) made me and my husband trust him even more.

I had the surgery the beginning of June 2008 and within three weeks I was walking without any crutches or a cane. After two months I was able to resume horseback riding, bike riding, swimming, and my long walks with my dog. I find myself flying up and down the stairs and forgetting how painful it was to do this just a few months ago.

Even though I don’t feel any pain or discomfort, I take care to avoid damaging my hip. I’ve decided I will swap high impact sports and instead perfect my stroke swimming or explore new trails on my bike. I feel it’s a small price to pay for a new lease on life. I feel very fortunate to have had a surgeon like Dr. Rector and to have had a choice in my surgery.

Anna Groth