Total Confidence in Hip Surgery for Total Replacement

Maureen is thrilled to get rid of her pain, and her son is too because he no longer has to carry his mom’s purse as he did when she had to use a cane.

For years Maureen was having hip problems that steadily got worse. She was getting steroid shots to help with the discomfort but eventually, that was no longer working. She knew she needed to see an orthopedic surgeon about the possibility of hip surgery.

Maureen had previous work done on her ankle at Golden State Orthopedics & Spine (GSOS) and she easily made the choice to go back for her hip. An extra boost of confidence was when her primary care doctor referred her to see Dr. Wendy Wong at GSOS.

Dr. Wong did not want to jump straight to surgery, and together they considered alternative treatments.

“She laid everything out and gave me all of my options. She let me know about all my possibilities from the beginning. My mental health and concerns were as important to her as my physical health,” Maureen says. “Surgery is never the go-to. I wanted to hear about everything I could do before I had to have surgery and that is what she gave me.”

With all the options on the table, Maureen opted to try another steroid injection of cortisone.

“It helped for a little bit of time but surgery was inevitable,” says Maureen.

Hip surgery with no worries

After trying the alternatives without long-term relief, the next option was surgery. Dr. Wong performed a total hip replacement at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek in April of 2017.

“I went in 100 percent confident,” says Maureen. “I did not have any concerns or worries because I knew what I was doing needed to be done, and she was the person to do it.”

Dr. Wong wasn’t the only one who helped Maureen have such a great experience. She says that the whole team knew what they were doing. For Maureen, it was Angela, Dr. Wong’s Medical Assistant, who really helped make it a smooth experience.

“Not only is Angela extremely patient but she helped me with some insurance issues. No matter how small a question was, I knew I could call and get a call back right away with an answer.”

All the care she needed, efficiently provided

Maureen has used many of the services that GSOS offers, such as the inpatient surgery center where she had ankle surgery. And she appreciates that all the doctors are available at one location along with in-house physical therapy services.

“The whole process is set up to be efficient. I know at times it can be crowded because a lot of people have confidence in them. But they are set up to handle it,” Maureen says. “Even at the busiest times, they find a way to answer every question you have. They are a good team of people who are there to help you.”

After surgery Maureen started physical therapy at GSOS, which she said is just as efficient as the rest of the practice.

“Getting my physical therapy care done with the same company as my orthopedic surgeon makes it feel like a whole experience. You know that the therapists can talk to your doctor and look at your chart.”

Maureen was happy about her care at GSOS from start to finish.

“From the minute the elevator doors open and I am greeted to when I woke up in the recovery room, I have never had a second of worry or concern. Everyone at Muir is friendly, knowledgeable, kind and patient,” she says.

She can now get around without pain, making it easier to keep up with her 17-year-old son.

“I think my son really appreciates that the surgery was a success because he no longer has to worry about me. He does not have to see me in pain or offer to carry my purse because I had a cane and was in pain. He hated it, but he had to help me. Now he no longer has to carry his mom’s purse,” Maureen says laughing. “I think he is very happy about that.”