For Richard, a police officer who had served for 40 years, not being able to walk a straight line meant something different than it meant on the job.

“My job demanded a lot of my legs, shoulder and hip,” said Richard. “The pain was so severe I couldn’t sleep. I thought it was my back.”

He sought out Daniel Chan, MD, Chief, Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at Memorial Regional Hospital, who diagnosed the problem as being in Richard’s hip.

He performed a minimally invasive anterior approach hip replacement, an outpatient procedure.

Soon afterwards, while playing pickleball, Richard experienced extreme pain in his shoulder and was referred by Dr. Chan to shoulder specialist Adam Fokin, MD, Chief, Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery, who diagnosed advanced shoulder osteoarthritis and soon performed an outpatient anatomic shoulder replacement.

At 70 years old and pain free, Richard’s back to his active lifestyle and playing pickleball.

“I’m right on target for where I want to be,” he said.