I started my journey with Dr. Curlee. We originally thought it was a spinal issue, but once we learned it was my hip, he recommended several doctors to me. After researching and talking to my sister, I chose Dr. Waggoner. My sister is a surgery tech and has worked with Dr. Waggoner before. She told me of his skill and professionalism, which made me feel like I made a smart decision before my first appointment.

My first visit with Dr. Waggoner was very informative. He did an MRI, and at my follow-up, explained where the situation was. He gave me two options. He could either drill through my hip, or he could do a hip replacement. His PA, Connor, came in and explained everything in detail. After that, we scheduled my surgery for August 4th.

The relationship between Dr. Waggoner and his team is incredible. They’re always on the same page and willing to help. They’re good about returning calls too. Usually, Dr. Waggoner or his MA will return my call within the hour.

Before my surgery, I did a lot of research. While Dr. Waggoner and Connor explained everything well and answered all my questions, I was determined to recover quickly and wanted to be prepared. In February, I got to the point I could barely shuffle my feet. Dr. Curlee gave me a nerve block and that's what allowed me to stay active up until my hip replacement. I'm fully convinced staying active gave me a shorter recovery period.

After surgery, I didn’t experience much pain. The pain was the worst on the third day, but it was followed by a rewarding day four because I was able to shower! After surgery, Dr. Waggoner and his team were great about checking on me. They checked on me as a person, which made all the difference. I was never just another number or patient to them.

After spending my first week on a walker, I moved to a cane for a week and a half. I did physical therapy every day and developed a close relationship with my physical therapist, Nicole. She understood how determined I was to return to my active lifestyle and did everything she could to help me get there without pushing myself too far.

After six weeks, I went back to working and started playing golf again. About nine weeks post-op, I was able to go to a corn maze in the dark. While the uneven ground made me nervous, I was grateful to be able to do that.

Herschel Stokes