Double Knee Replacement Relieved Sally's Pain and Revived Her Vivacious Spirit

Sally Drennan’s boundless energy brings many adjectives to mind: spunky, vivacious, joyful. Yet before her double knee replacement surgeries, she said she was living the life of “a house-bound invalid.”

Sally taught school for 34 years, during which she stood on concrete floors in high-heeled shoes all day. Over time, her knees began to ache and the pain progressed.

An avid traveler who has always loved to shop, garden and entertain friends in her home, Sally said she endured the increasingly severe symptoms for 15 years, until the pain became so intense that she could no longer enjoy her normal activities.

“I did not want to go through another year of just staying inside the house,” she said. “I had a lot of living to do.”

Prior to having her knees replaced one at a time, four months apart, she had back surgery to treat issues resulting from a fall down the stairs, which she speculated was a result of her knees giving out.

Sally said she was very impressed with the superior level of care she received, from the highly trained doctors and staff at the NHRMC Orthopedic Hospital.

“The doctors answered my questions and took a personal interest in me,” she said. “They took time to make me feel better about the surgeries.”

Every person she encountered was compassionate and attentive, including the nurses, therapists, volunteers and housekeeping staff, she said.

Now fully recovered and as active as ever, Sally summed up her current mindset: “I love life and I’m a happy person.” Perhaps recalling the enthusiasm of her former charges, this retired elementary school teacher exclaimed, “I feel like a kid again!”