Joseph Parker of Howell is on the move. He’s often on the road for his businesses or involved with the community, but he always makes time for his family – especially his grandchildren. Joseph then started noticing pain in his right knee when performing everyday tasks. However, he pushed through to kept up his normally busy schedule.
Joseph knew something was wrong when he could no longer sit on the floor to play with his grandchildren without pain. He also had to forego some of his favorite hobbies, such as riding his motorcycle because the pain was unbearable.
Joseph’s primary care doctor suggested he make an appointment with Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. G. Victor Gibson. “I’m not a big doctor guy,” said Joseph. Taking this step was a turning point. He knew he needed a doctor that would be down to earth and prepare him every step of the process.
Dr. Gibson determined Joseph’s right knee was bone-on-bone. Joseph and Dr. Gibson worked together as a team to create a plan. Initially, they tried cortisone shots, but the pain persisted. Joseph’s injured knee was also starting to affect his hip and ankle.
The next step in their plan was surgery. Dr. Gibson provided Joseph with information about the surgery to prepare for before and after. “Dr. Gibson was upbeat, friendly and willing to answer any questions my wife and I had,” said Joseph.
In October 2019, Dr. Gibson performed a partial knee replacement on Joseph at St. Joe’s Livingston. By surgery day, Joseph had no worries and felt prepared for surgery. “The staff and the education for my surgery were great,” said Joseph.
Joseph learned about the pain relief methods for his surgery. Upon discussions with his doctor and nurses, he was prescribed a lower dose of opioids and an ice machine at home. “The ice machine really worked,” said Joseph. His nurse helped him to set up the ice machine rental and it was delivered to his home and set up after surgery. The ice machine was so effective, Joseph was able to manage his pain and didn’t need to take the opioids prescribed.
A few months later, Joseph was walking without pain. He was even able to get back to playing and wrestling with his grandchildren.
Unfortunately, Joseph slipped and fell in December 2019 injuring his recovering knee. Dr. Gibson had to perform another surgery to fix the damage. Although a different circumstance, Joseph was still pleased with his quality of care.
“Surgery is just one piece of this journey,” said Joseph. It is important to understand the recovery process and steps to take when you get home from the hospital.
Now, Joseph is walking with comfort again. He looks forward to getting stronger and being able to get his motorcycle back on the road.
“I should have done it sooner; go see your doctor if you feel pain – don’t wait too long,” said Joseph.
