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Heart Beat: New lease on life

“Dr. Dooley gave me my life back”
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-Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation

“I have a new lease on life” exclaimed Lori King, who is grateful for the care she received from Dr. Paul Dooley, Orthopedic Surgeon at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.

Lori was a young woman, only 45, when she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in her knees and discovered that she would need to have, not just one, but two partial knee replacements. She was referred to Dr. Dooley and he worked with Lori to come up with the best course of action for her situation.

“Getting this diagnosis was truly devastating. I thought this only happened when we were much older. How would I play sports anymore?” said King.

Lori’s life was impacted dramatically. As an accomplished baseball player, Lori was used to an active lifestyle. Not being able to perform simple daily tasks was difficult for her. Just holding her purse put too much pressure on her joints. She could not even pick up her new grandson.

“Being younger in age, it was hard for my family to comprehend what was happening to me,” says King. “I began to walk crooked, which in turn affected my entire body. The most difficult part to deal with was the chronic pain. It got worse and worse. It was all consuming. You get depressed and can’t work. It never leaves you.”

In 2014, Dr. Dooley performed a unicompartmental (partial) knee replacement on Lori’s right knee. “I felt relief from the chronic pain on that side right away. I was given a new lease on life!”

Lori said it took her about a year of recovery to get her right knee back to normal. She later received a second partial knee replacement on her left knee. “Dr. Dooley gave me my life back! He is truly a gifted surgeon.”

Lori will eventually need to get full replacements in both of her knees as time progresses. Right now, she is enjoying life to the fullest, spending time with her family and keeping up with her grandchildren. “I have been golfing and got into tubing this winter,” says King.

“If I could share one thing, it is that we all need to support one another. Living with chronic pain is tough. If you are waiting to get surgery, I would tell you to be patient and to prepare. Life is waiting for you.”

Missed the last article?

Heart Beat: State-of-the-art urology surgical table arrives in Vernon

Heart Beat is the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation newsletter – Spring 2019

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