There were many days when Sue Coffman felt helpless as she watched her husband, Jim, struggle with chronic, disabling hip pain.

She watched arthritis slow his steps until he could no longer enjoy his hobbies. It was time to make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist to see what could be done to stop the pain.

Before he called Bone & Joint, Jim’s hip pain became so severe that even walking outside to feed and care for his Birmingham Roller acrobatic pigeons was nearly impossible.

“I was pretty much sitting in a recliner and not walking much,” said Jim. “I was always limping and dragging my leg.”

According to Bone & Joint’s orthopedic surgeon, Eric Thiel, MD, situations like Jim’s are not uncommon. People wait until they can’t stand the pain anymore before they ask for help.

“For many patients who live with constant pain, they almost forget what it’s like to move without pain,” said Dr. Thiel. “They come in when the pain pushes them to their limits.”

“Dr. Thiel had Jim get up, walk, and move,” said Sue. “He watched him. Then he rolled his chair over to Jim, looked him in the eye, and said, ‘I can fix this.’ We were so relieved. Finally, we had hope.”

Jim and Sue listened as Dr. Thiel explained the risks and benefits of hip replacement. Hip replacement surgery could eliminate most of Jim’s pain and give him the ability to move again. Dr. Thiel’s straightforward and honest approach gave Jim the confidence he needed to schedule the surgery.

“Medicine is complex,” said Dr. Thiel. “It’s a different language. It’s my job to interpret it and treat each patient like they are a member of my family. When you see someone suffering from arthritis in the joint and see how it limits their lives and then see that same person on the other side of treatment, it’s extremely rewarding.”

“They had me walking the afternoon after surgery,” said Jim. “I noticed right away, my pain was gone. It changed my life.

Today, Jim and Sue describe their life as a little slice of heaven. They enjoy walking and enjoying the wildlife surrounding their home in Eagle River.

“I’ve got my soulmate back,” Sue said. “And now, we can actually have a life again.”