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Jul 23, 2015 Reporting from Niles, MI
Back in the Driver's Seat - Jim Meister
https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/medical-services/orthopedic-care/our-orthopedic-patients-say-it-best/Detail/back-in-the-driver's-seat/?utm_source=Back_in_the_Driver%27s_Seat&utm_medium=PatientStory_Landing&utm_campaign=InternalPages
Jul 23, 2015
Jul 23, 2015
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
When lifelong St. Joseph resident Jim Meister first began having trouble with his left hip, he wasn’t ready to put his active life on hold for surgery. But once it became difficult for him to get in and out of his beloved Saturn Sky convertible
Back in the Driver's Seat - Jim Meister
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
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Back in the Driver's Seat - Jim Meister
Jul, 2015
Physicians: Daniel Sohn, MD, FAAOS
When lifelong St. Joseph resident Jim Meister first began having trouble with his left hip, he wasn’t ready to put his active life on hold for surgery. But once it became difficult for him to get in and out of his beloved Saturn Sky convertible, Jim knew he needed to take action.
“I held off for a long time,” said Jim, a wedding photographer with 47 years of experience.
“The reason he didn’t do it three years ago was because he bought a sports car,” added Jim’s wife, Caryl. “They’re his passion and hobby.”
Both Jim and Caryl had experience with joint replacement surgery. Jim underwent surgery on his right hip 16 years ago at a hospital outside the area. More recently, in January 2014, Caryl had her hip replaced at Lakeland Medical Center, St. Joseph, by Daniel Sohn, MD, FAAOS, of Southwest Michigan Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.
The Meisters were so pleased with Caryl’s surgery at Lakeland with Dr. Sohn that they didn’t consider any other options for Jim’s procedure.
“I wouldn’t recommend anywhere else to have it done,” Caryl said.
Within a week of Jim’s visit with Dr. Sohn, his surgery was scheduled at Lakeland. When the Meisters arrived at the hospital for the procedure, they were impressed with the warm reception they received from Lakeland team members—from the front desk, where their friend Barbara Ashman greeted them, to the registration and surgery preparation areas.
“From the moment we walked into the hospital at 5:30 that morning, everyone was extremely helpful,” Jim said. “Everyone told us what was going to happen, listened to me, and answered all of our questions.”
The procedure took about two hours, and following some time for recovery, Jim was up taking his first steps by 2:30 that afternoon. Over the next two days, Jim participated in Lakeland’s Total Joint Camp, specialized rehabilitation designed to help joint replacement patients safely return to normal daily activities. In preparation for Jim’s discharge, his care team put together a plan for him to keep making progress through ongoing physical therapy.
“We traded stories with friends who had joint replacements at other hospitals, and they didn’t have the same kind of experience,” Jim said. “They were on their own when it came to setting up physical therapy.”
Today, Jim’s rehabilitation continues, but he has already seen a dramatic difference. A month after the surgery, he was able to dance with Caryl (slowly) at a car club event. But Jim is most excited about the opportunity to plan the couple’s next vacation and visit car shows—without worrying about pain slowing him down.
“Walking pain-free is the biggest thing,” Caryl said.