Maggie Schneider loves to be outdoors.
“I've been mobile and active all my life. I've done MS150 bike ride fundraisers. I mountaineer and rock climb. I go to the gym, and I backpack," she says.
So, four years ago when she started having joint pain, she thought it was simply due to her active lifestyle.
But over time the pain got worse, becoming so severe that she no longer felt safe riding her bike.
“I was at a point that I couldn't do anything I really wanted to do, including biking. It was painful getting on and off. I didn't feel safe."
That's when Maggie knew she had to do something.
Maggie made an appointment with Anthony DiGioia, MD, of the Bone and Joint Center at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.
Dr. DiGioia said her left hip was quickly deteriorating, and he was seeing bone-on-bone contact.
When nonsurgical options failed to get rid of her pain, Dr. DiGioia suggested hip replacement surgery.
In December of 2019, Maggie had her first hip replacement, spending one night at the hospital before going home the next day.
Her recovery was swift, and soon she was scheduling a second surgery for her right hip.
Seeing how well she healed from her first surgery, Dr. DiGioia felt she was ideal for the new Same-Day Discharge program. This meant she could go home the same day as her hip replacement surgery.
“I had a series of appointments, tests, and x-rays. Dr. DiGioia doesn't recommend same-day discharge unless he knows you're healthy," she says. “The team took great strides to make sure I knew exactly what to expect, and that I was comfortable with the procedure."
“Before the surgery, the staff preps you on the order in which things will happen," Maggie says. "Dr. DiGioia confirms that you're ready, hydrated, and physically fit. He even has you exercise your breathing."
The day of her surgery, Maggie arrived at UPMC Magee early — around 5 a.m.
Within hours of her surgery, she had her first two physical therapy sessions.
And by 5 p.m. that same day, Maggie was back home with her husband, daughter, and new hip.
“I was really happy to be going home so soon, rather than staying the night at the hospital. Getting up and moving is the best thing you can do after hip replacement, which is exactly what I did. If I felt uncomfortable, I could change my position or get up and walk without having to call a nurse," says Maggie.
Maggie spent the next four weeks recovering at home with the help of her loved ones.
“Having family around was so comforting. I felt a lot better throughout the process because I was at home," she says.
She has since been able to go back to work. And she's looking forward to getting back into the gym on a regular basis.
Note: This patient's treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.
