Ken Fulmer first injured his knee playing high school football. As a adult, he had several surgeries to remove cartilage but kept bowling, playing softball, and breeding Appaloosa horses.
    "I kept doing everything but couldn't do it as well. I had bone rubbing against bone. It hurt 24 hours a day. Id' plant my leg to pitch hay to our five horses, and my knee would give way. I knew I needed surgery again" Ken says.
    Still, he wondered. Could a total knee replacement improve his life? When could he go back to his job and regain his active lifestyle? Would he once again be able to lift his grandchildren into the saddle and lead them around his eight-acre farm?
Knowing what to expect
    Dr Kevin Furlong, Ken's physician, referred him to Orthopedic Surgeon Peter Vasiu, who uses Metro Health Hospital's new Joint Replacement Camp. The camp's standardized care program helps patients recover quickly and with better outcomes from total joint replacement surgery. Contributions from Metropolitan Foundation donors helped launch this special camp-the only one of its kind in southwest Michigan.
    "For the lay person, the unknown is the scary part. The more you can educate ahead of surgery, the more comfort they'll feel", Dr Vasiu says.
    Ken Agrees. "When I went to Metro for my pre-admission class, I was impressed with the camp setup-private rooms, group physical therapy, and a great deal of nursing staff just for the camp. I 'd never been in another hospital where I felt so secure with the nurses and doctors." he says.
    Ken also watched a video about knee surgery at Dr. Vasiu's office and received an orientation notebook that described joint camp amenities and therapeutic exercises. "I was prepared really well." he says.
So very different
    He went into surgery with a positive outlook, Still Ken was surprised with how different his experience was compared to surgeries he and his wife, Linda, had had elsewhere.
    "After the surgery, I had minimum pain. The relief was amazing. The nursing staff went above and beyond. I'm a diabetic, and the nurse noticed I was really tired the first night,. She said I'm going to close your door so nothing bothers you. They checked my blood sugar and blood pressure so quietly I hardly noticed. I never had to call for a nurse. They always asked if I needed anything."Patients choose a coach to encourage them during twice-daily therapy and to learn exercises for when they get home. They earn magnetic badges — displayed on their doors — for increasing distances with a walker or crutches.
    Given my sports background, knowing what other patients were doing was an incentive, he says.
Perks along the road to recovery include bud vase, putting contest, hairdressers, and (Ken's favorite) a gourmet meal. They set up a table for us in the therapy room. We had music and they gave me a graduation paper.
    Linda and I kept saying it was so very different from what we'd ever experienced. I wasn't there as another body. The cared for me to as a patient, as a person, "Ken says",
    Six weeks after his May surgery, Ken could work a full day, and still pitch hay, lead horses to pasture, lift his grandchildren, and tend his new colt - all without pain. He looks forward to running all the bases in softball and upping his bowling score by 20 points.
    Ken's experience in the Joint Replacement Camp make me feel good. All the surgeons had input into developing this program, and it keep getting better, based on feedback from patients and medical staff. Dr. Vasiu says, everyone is dedicated to working together on a singe goal - helping patients recover faster and get better results.