He endured years of injections to relieve the pain and inflammation, but last year Tom discovered that the injections were no longer effective. He experienced weakness and loss of balance, and he could no longer kick while swimming laps. While on vacation in Virginia Beach, Tom finally had enough pain and discomfort. “I couldn’t swim in the ocean or even walk on the beach with my wife,” says Tom. 

 

Although his left knee was considered worse than his right, Tom’s doctor informed him that he would need surgery to replace his right knee within a year. Tom decided on a double knee replacement. “I didn’t want to endure the pain of surgery twice, so I decided to fix and rehab both knees at once,” he says.

 

When it came to choosing an inpatient rehabilitation facility [2], there was no question that Tom would choose Good Shepherd. “My mother and my wife had been patients at Good Shepherd, and we had good experiences. Plus, everybody you talk to says that Good Shepherd is where you want to go for rehab.”

 

Tom spent two weeks as an inpatient at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital in Allentown [3]. “The staff were great, but I kept comparing my progress and pain levels to other patients on my floor, and I got frustrated,” says Tom. It was a nurse who discovered that Tom had developed blood clots, a complication from the surgery, in both legs. Tom adds, “Dr. Yeager [4]was great. He visited me every morning and helped me with the pain I was enduring. He assured me it would get better. I can’t say enough about the care I received from Dr. Yeager [4]and the staff.”

 

After clearing the blood clots and making significant progress, Tom left the hospital and started receiving outpatient therapy at Good Shepherd Physical Therapy – Northampton [5]. Tom had 25 sessions with his therapists and worked hard toward his recovery. According to Renee Santore, site manager, “Tom was always really motivated. He had a great attitude and always brightened our day!”

 

Tom has since returned to work and resumed his active lifestyle. He is enjoying his hobby, metal detecting, and plans to join a new aquatic center to resume swimming. Tom is enthusiastic about his most recent recovery milestone – a trip to the beach. “My wife and I just got back from Virginia Beach,” says Tom. “The difference is incredible. I was the happiest guy in town! I swam in the ocean and walked on the beach with my wife. I walked, and walked and walked!”