Total knee replacement brings freedom

Dianne Barton of Waverly has always been active. Walking and golfing are two of her favorite pastimes. Several years ago, Dianne's left knee began to cause her pain. Wanting to stay active, Dianne began seeing Stephanie Smith, ARNP at Cedar Valley Medical Specialists (CVMS) for her pain.

Stephanie, an orthopedic nurse practitioner who holds clinic at Waverly Health Center (WHC), began treating Dianne's knee with injections. This treatment took care of Dianne's pain and she continued receiving shots for two and a half years. "Stephanie took excellent care of me and her treatments helped me continue my active lifestyle," said Dianne. "However, after several years, my knee pain worsened and the shots no longer relieved all of the pain."

When the shots were no longer helping, Stephanie suggested Dianne meet with Dr. Robert Bartelt of CVMS. Dr. Bartelt is one of the area'a leading orthopedic surgeons and has recently begun using the Mako SmartRobotics™ at WHC for total joint replacement surgery. The Mako is a robotic-arm assisted surgery system that uses a technique that allows most people to recover faster, with less pain.

"Dr. Bartelt took the time to educate me on the options for my knee, including a total knee replacement. I appreciated that he never once pressured me into having surgery," stated Dianne. "In fact, he told me that I will know when the time is right for me, because I will no longer be able to live the life that I want."

Several weeks later, Dianne realized the power of Dr. Bartelt's statement when she found herself needing to hold onto a grocery cart for stability at a store. It was time for Dianne to begin the path to surgery. Once she made the commitment to have a total knee replacement, they connected her with a physical therapist of her choice to begin pre-surgery exercises. Dianne chose Casey Doyle, PT, at Taylor Physical Therapy.

On November 21, Dianne arrived at WHC at 6:30 a.m. for surgery and was home with a new knee later that day. "I was prepared to spend the night and was amazed that I was able to return to my own bed the same day."

Two days following surgery, Dianne returned to WHC to start post-surgical therapy with Casey. She continued therapy three times a week for six weeks. "Casey's encouragement and support before and after surgery was incredibly helpful. The first few weeks were difficult but after six weeks I was free of pain and walking a mile and a half a day."

Dianne continues to stay active, walking daily. She and her husband are even planning a trip to Arizona where she plans to enjoy time golfing. "We are so fortunate to have a wide variety of services so close to home," said Dianne. "I recommend Mako total joint replacement surgery for anyone who wants to get back to enjoying the activities they love."