Dana Graham

Joint problems run in his family, and his hip had been bothering him for some time. An MRI at Northfield Hospital showed bones rubbing against each other. So his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Clinton Muench, gave Dana a cortisone shot in the hip while Dana was in for surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his knee.

Cortisone can help reduce joint pain by reducing swelling in the joint. In this case, Dana didn’t get much relief. In fact, he developed bursitis in his knee from the way he was walking to compensate for pain in his hip.

His next option was total joint replacement. With a family trip to Rome just months away, his wife Marin helped him decide. “She said, ‘When we go to Rome we’re going to be doing a lot of walking. So if you’re going to get it done, get it done now.’ She convinced me.”

Lots of friends suggested going to the Twin Cities for surgery. “I thought, ‘Why do I want to put myself through that?’ I had complete confidence in Dr. Muench and Northfield Hospital. It just made so much sense to do it here, close to home.“ The familiarity made me feel a lot more comfortable.”

From the Surgery Center to in-patient care and therapy, “doctors and staff were so attentive. They explained every single step of the way. Communication between nurses, and care from the hospitalists – everything was just so thorough. My wife and I just felt so comfortable with the quality of care.”

Dana was up walking the same day he had surgery. Therapists taught Dana exercises to do at home; he regained strength and flexibility by walking, using a cane when needed.  Within three months, he was ready for Rome. “We did a lot of walking on hills,” he says. “The hip got a good workout.”

Dana’s advice to others with joint pain? “It’s a big quality-of-life decision. How do you want to live your life? You can be pain-free.” Dana is quick to recommend Northfield Hospital: “We’ve got a great hospital, with great doctors and staff. I’m so happy I had my surgery done locally.”