Mona Segal had orthopedic issues most of her life. She had knee surgery when only 15 and then again when she was 25. She had her hip replaced about 10 years ago.
So she wasn't surprised when she needed knee replacement surgery. But what did astound her was how well the procedure and recovery went and how quickly she bounced back.
"Within two weeks I was walking without a cane," said Mona. "My friends were amazed that I could already sit at a table with my knees bent."
Mona's knee had not been giving her trouble for a while. She had to take steps one at a time, had some pain and her knee wouldn't straighten. She tried physical therapy but when it didn't help, she had only one option if she wanted to retain her independence and maintain her lifestyle. She needed surgery.
Mona had her right knee replaced in early February at Holy Name Medical Center and was so impressed with her care that she wrote a letter to Michael Maron, President and CEO of the hospital.
"I wanted to take a moment to communicate my great satisfaction with my hospitalization," she wrote. "Everyone I passed in the hall smiled and greeted me with words of encouragement. This friendliness is reminiscent of a small town and makes the patients feel valued."
Dr. Jeffrey Steuer, an orthopedist, performed the procedure on Mona, who is 66 and lives in Teaneck. Mona has long been a patient of Dr. Steuer, who has helped her with a number of orthopedic issues through the years. She said she never considered going to a different doctor or having the surgery anywhere else but Holy Name.
"I had hip replacement surgery 10 years ago at Holy Name and when I needed my knee replaced, there was no question it would be Dr. Steuer at Holy Name," Mona said. "Due to the staff's expertise and care the whole experience was relatively stress free."
Mona said her first concern about having the operation was "that I needed to have an escort anytime I got up to guard against falling. I prepared myself for some discomfort when I waited for someone to escort me to the bathroom. But to my delight I never waited more than a minute or two. Someone always came promptly.
"The staff worked together to accommodate my request for many things: bathroom escort, washing up, pain medication, etc.," Mona said. "No nurse was too busy to help and every aide went the extra mile to help me."
In addition to the compassionate care she received, Mona also attributed her quick recovery to the physical therapy offered while still in the hospital.
"I felt a trust in and among the workers and that me feel comfortable and more willing to extend myself with my physical therapist," Mona said.
"Physical therapy helped me to go home," she said. "Only two days after surgery I walked up my front steps and into my home. I'm so happy to be independent again."
