Gloria Wierzalis put off following up on her primary care physician’s advice that she look into joint replacement surgery. She was concerned the process would be long and painful. She also assumed her insurance wouldn’t cover it. She has never been more pleased about being wrong.
A social worker and former teacher, Ms. Wierzalis had been active throughout her life. In her mid-60s, she still did all her own housework, including cutting the grass, cleaning gutters, and shoveling snow.
“Two years ago, I started experiencing pain in my right hip,” Ms. Wierzalis says. “Eventually, pain medication stopped working. Even though joint pain was keeping me up at night, my immediate reaction when my primary care physician mentioned the word ‘surgery’ was ‘I don’t think so!’”
One night, after a session of aquatherapy at the RWJ Rahway Fitness & Wellness Center in Scotch Plains, Ms. Wierzalis saw a notice about a presentation on joint replacement surgery. The lecture changed Ms. Wierzalis’ thinking.
“My surgeon did an excellent job of explaining joint replacement surgery and answering my questions,” Ms. Wierzalis says. “He didn’t pressure me, and I appreciated that. It took six months for me to feel convinced I would be a good candidate. After that, I knew I had to do it.”
Putting Life Back in Joint Ms. Wierzalis underwent surgery at the Joint Replacement Center at RWJ Rahway in February 2012. She returned home within three days. After four weeks of physical therapy and very little pain, Ms. Wierzalis returned to doing light housework with the support of her cane. She returned to work full time after 12 weeks of therapy.
“I put off surgery for two years, thinking it would be a huge ordeal,” Ms. Wierzalis says. “Looking back, I have no regrets about moving forward with the surgery. Everyone I worked with was wonderful, and the process went so smoothly. I can’t speak highly enough about the Joint Replacement Center.”