When David learned Eagle County was about to get a total joint replacement surgeon, he decided to wait to have his surgery done closer to home rather than travel to Denver.
Why?
The 46-year old Grand Junction truck driver knew he needed a hip replacement and the thought of a long drive to and from Denver was something he just couldn’t fathom.
Feeling Bad with Osteoarthritis
Johnson would begin each day feeling pretty good, but by noon, the joint would become aggravated, and by the end of the day his hip was completely fatigued. The pain got so bad that he had to grab his pant leg to get his leg into his semi-truck.
“I would go home and immediately get in the hot tub,” says the devoted fisher and hunter. “I was taking so much ibuprofen—it was never-ending. All that pain can make you really cranky. At first, I thought I was having back problems. But an MRI finally diagnosed the real cause of my pain—bone-on-bone osteoarthritis in my hip.”
Dr. Cafferky "Did A Fabulous Job"
At his office appointment, Dr. Cafferky told David that he didn’t have much cartilage left and he needed to make a decision. David says his father had had his hip replaced years ago and ended up with a long incision.
“When Dr. Cafferky told me he could do an anterior approach that only required a 3-4 inch incision, I was intrigued and relieved at the same time,” says David. “He told me the healing and recovery time is that much better because you don’t have to cut through muscle. He did a fabulous job.”
"I Now Know the Best Hip Surgeon in the Country"
Dr. Cafferky had David up and walking the same day as his surgery. Within a week, he was down to one crutch, and done with both crutches by the second week. “I actually hurt less coming out of surgery than I did going in. I could get up out of a chair without hurting. It was amazing.”
David is looking forward to getting back to fishing, hunting and spending time with family. But more than anything, he’s looking forward to having a normal quality of life without hurting.
“I now know the best hip surgeon in the country," says David. "He took my pain away and changed the quality of my life.”
