Allegiance Health

Joint Replacement Testimonial

Louie Ambs: Double Hip Replacement

Walking down stairs used to be an ordeal for Louie Ambs. So was getting in and out of the car. Severe hip pain that kept getting worse over a period of three to four years took the joy out of golfing and made it impossible for Louie to swing his leg over a bike. Now, after two total hip replacements, Louie is riding 20 miles a week on the trails at Clark Lake.

Louie had tried to avoid surgery with chiropractics and acupuncture. “My chiropractor warned me that I would eventually need to have a hip replacement, but I guess I was in denial,” he said.

When it became obvious to Louie that the pain wasn’t going to get better, he decided to consult with orthopaedic surgeon Paul Kenyon, MD. 

“I became comfortable with Dr. Kenyon right away and felt very confident in him,” Louie said. “He gave me three options: 1) Live with the pain, 2) take pain medication or 3) have a hip replacement. The right choice was obvious.” Dr. Kenyon could see that Louie was in pain, and he was able to schedule the surgery within a week. “I would have gone in that minute if it had been possible,” Louie recalled.

Before his first surgery, Louie came in for a tour of the Allegiance Health Joint Replacement Center, known by patients as the “Joint Camp.” He was introduced to staff and learned about the procedure and what to expect in recovery. “It was great to see that all the Joint Camp rooms are private and good to know that all of the patients had hip or knee replacements and would be working together in physical therapy.”

Louie said he had “absolutely no complaints” about his stay. “I’d planned on going home  early, but I received such great, personal care that I decided to stay the full three days. The in-hospital therapy was very helpful, too.”

Ten weeks after his first hip replacement, Louie went back to Allegiance Health to have the second one done by Dr. Kenyon. “I was impressed by the improvement in my new hip and wanted to take care of the other as soon as possible. If I had three hips, I’d have the third one done, too. The relief is that remarkable,” he laughed. 

Louie was pleasantly surprised to find that Joint Camp staff remembered him by name when he came back for his second surgery. “It’s just another example of the personalized care you receive at Allegiance,” he said.

As with his first hip-replacement surgery, Louie was walking around within a week. “Now I don’t even notice the stairs,” he said. “I definitely feel younger, and I am motivated to do more.” Louie was thrilled to be able to play golf again on Labor Day.

Since his surgeries, Louie says he has been recommending Allegiance Health to his friends. “I know that where you go for surgery is a personal choice, but I tell people to at least consider Allegiance Health before going out of town. The care is excellent, and it is so much easier on families when you stay close to home.”