Janet Elko recognized the moment she needed to make a change. It came during a long-desired trip to the Grand Canyon with her eldest son.
“I had always wanted to go there and never had a chance,” she said.
Elko experienced the scenic wonder from the typical tourist spots and bus tours, but pain in her back and knee limited her activity. Many of the photos on her phone were taken by her son while she sat in the car.
It was a tough pill to swallow for someone who loves nature and walking outdoors.
“I was in a lot of pain. At that point I thought, ‘This trip is just not turning out to be what I wanted it to be,’” she said. “I spent a lot of time just sitting and looking at other tourists having fun, and I wasn’t having fun.”
‘This was the plan’
When Elko returned home to Wisconsin, she saw her primary care provider at Marshfield Clinic Eagle River Center. That appointment set the wheels in motion to connect with Rachel Ave’Lallemant, a physical therapist at Marshfield Clinic Woodruff Center in Minocqua.
“It’s always kind of like a puzzle piece when someone comes in,” said Ave’Lallemant, who worked with Elko on treatment options like stretches and exercises. “There’s no one-size-fits-all. You have to work with the patient. There’s no cookie-cutter answer.”
Months of physical therapy led to progress with some areas of mobility, but there seemed to be a missing piece. Elko had another decision to make.
“Even though I wanted to turn 80 with all my original parts, I had to face facts that the next level had to be considered,” she said.
The “next level” conversation brought orthopedic surgeon John Watkins, M.D., into the fold. Together, they narrowed the cause of Elko’s pain to arthritis in her left hip and agreed that total hip replacement was the next move.
“The number one thing is I want to make sure the patient’s the one driving this treatment,” said Dr. Watkins. “The patient has to be comfortable that they’re at the point to where they feel their activity level and pain level’s more than they can put up with.”
Elko came away from the discussion with reassurance from Dr. Watkins that hip replacement wasn’t going to be anything that was too intimidating for her to go through and recover from.
“I was convinced,” she said. “This was the time. This was the surgeon. This was the plan.”
Comfort and confidence with care
The day of surgery often comes with butterflies. That was not an experience unique to Elko on this cold January morning.
But she found comfort, first from nursing staff who had answers for every question. Then the retired teacher, who thrives on information and communication, noticed something that put her at ease.
“I didn’t talk to anybody who wasn’t aware of something that was said that needed to be addressed,” she said. “It was just such a balance of teamwork. I thought, ‘This is going to be OK.’ Everybody knew their job, but they had a level of respect for each other that I really picked up on right away.”
By the time Elko was prepped for surgery, she was comfortable and confident in the team responsible for her care.
“A patient never has a second chance at a first impression,” said Dr. Watkins. “Joint replacement surgeries are big deals, and it takes a lot of moving parts to have a good outcome and to make it efficient and enjoyable for patients.”
On the other side of the procedure, Elko had a request for her road to recovery.
“I asked if I could see Rachel for physical therapy because I just believe in her,” Elko said.
Teaming up again
Elko calls Ave’Lallemant her “bookend” because they worked together before surgery and were eager to work through the challenges and triumphs that come with a new hip.
“We’ve been together now long enough she knows what I need. It wasn’t just a one- or two-visit thing. It was a plan,” Elko said.
“I’ve given her so many different things to work on she’s probably sick of it,” Ave’Lallemant laughed. “I love helping people, but physical therapy only works if it’s both ways, right? I give you the tools, and you’ve got to work with me. That’s where that relationship and trust becomes really important.”
Elko had her first physical therapy appointment within a week of being home, starting the exercises that Ave’Lallemant had planned out. As Elko put it, “it all just came together” and soon, her back pain and leg pain were gone. Three months later, she was carrying a collapsible cane but rarely used it. She was walking with confidence.
“That’s extremely rewarding when you can be a part of that,” said Dr. Watkins.
“It’s awesome,” added Ave’Lallemant. “It’s what you would want for your husband, your dad, your sister, is to see them succeed in everything they want to do in life.”
The world at her feet
On Easter weekend, Elko accomplished a few things that had weighed on her mind ahead of a holiday trip to see family.
She walked through the airport, maneuvering the moving sidewalk without losing her balance. Within hours, she was walking outside, conquering a cobblestone path laid out near the edge of a wooded area.
“I did it. I went up and down those granite steps that they have on the trail,” Elko said. “I thought, ‘I can do this. I can do this again. This isn’t going to keep me from doing the things I enjoy.’”
The world at her feet, Elko is feeling secure with every step.
“As therapists, what we care about is that you’re able to do what you wanted to do,” said Ave’Lallemant. “You were able to see your son. You were able to go explore.”
Elko has more exploring ahead. She has a grandson graduating soon from the University of Wisconsin.
“I’m going to walk into (Camp) Randall Stadium and see him graduate,” Elko said with pride.
She also hasn’t ruled out a return trip to the Grand Canyon.
“I’ve thought about it,” she said, “but there are other places I’d like to see, too.”
Learn more
- What to know about total joint replacement surgery
- What is joint pain and what can you do about it?
- Doctor helps develop hip surgery with shorter recovery
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Posted In Marshfield, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation & Therapy
