Caroline’s Story
“I Thought It Was an Injury to My Back. It Turns Out I Injured Both of My Hip Joints. I Wanted a Really Great Doctor Because I Knew I Was Hurt Really Bad.”
I was on vacation at a resort and there was standing water on the stairs. I slipped and fell down on wet, concrete stairs. It was just like walking onto a sheet of ice – both of my feet slipped right out from underneath me. The next thing I knew I was taken away in an ambulance. At the time, I thought it was an injury to my back. It turns out I injured both of my hip joints. I wanted a really great doctor because I knew I was hurt really bad.
A friend of mine recommended I see a doctor they knew at an area hospital. The doctor evaluated me and then he referred me to Dr. Jonathan Hersch, an orthopaedic surgeon. He told me, “I only refer to the best doctors.” I knew the physician who referred me to Dr. Hersch was credible so I went to see Dr. Hersch. It was a fantastic choice!
Dr. Hersch is a great doctor. When I got to my appointment with Dr. Hersch, I asked everyone in his waiting room about him. I asked the patients, “Oh you just had surgery with Dr. Hersch, how do you feel?” Everyone in the waiting room told me he’s the best. I want to make sure the doctor I’m going to have surgery with is the best.
Before my appointment with Dr. Hersch, I knew I had hip labrum tears. I didn’t know until meeting with Dr. Hersch I had hip tendon tears too. My right hip injury turned out to be a major repair. I can tell you after having hip surgery with Dr. Hersch, he did everything right.
Dr. Hersch put me in a brace after surgery. He said crutches were a must for the time being. Dr. Hersch prescribed me a machine which was used to keep my surgically repaired hip moving. It moved really slow to introduce motion to the hip joint because when you have this type of surgery it’s important to keep the joint in motion for a combination of four hours during the day. Dr. Hersch did all the right things which gave me fabulous outcomes.
I decided I’m going to have my other hip repaired by Dr. Hersch. I have a tear in my left hip as well but I couldn’t walk very well because the damage to my right hip was pretty awful. I couldn’t walk a block at the time without crying or asking somebody to help me. But, Dr. Hersch fixed the more problematic hip first which was on my right side.
At my appointments with Dr. Hersch at his Boca Raton office, he pulled up my images on a multimedia screen and took the time to point out everything on the screen. He explained what was wrong and how he was going to fix it. I remember his office as being really clean, the staff was really nice, and his office was easy to get in and out of right in the heart of Boca Raton.
When you go into his office, he pulls up the imaging and brings you to the screen and shows you everything going on with your ailment. I have never had a doctor take the time to do that.
Dr. Hersch is really easy to talk to and he’s personable. The fact he’s (Dr. Hersch) an athlete really helps too because I’m active and my husband is a cyclist.
Dr. Hersch performed my right hip surgery arthroscopically. Because of his minimally invasive approach, I don’t have any scars. I was walking and off the brace within three weeks. Originally, I was told it would be at least two months before I would be able to drive. I couldn’t believe how fast I was up and the speed at which my recovery occurred. It was pretty amazing.
I didn’t suffer a lot of pain from my hip surgery with Dr. Hersch. I got instant relief when I got fixed. This was non-invasive. I was only on pain medicine for three days. I was able to travel to Italy with my husband after the surgery.
I look forward to getting my other hip fixed and down the road back to cycling with my husband. I’m going to get to ride a bike again and I’m really excited about the opportunity. I’m sending my husband to Dr. Hersch to get his knee assessed because this man’s (Dr. Hersch) got the skills. He’s very skilled.