Lenita Brewer
Orthopedic Surgery
"If I Had To It Over Again, I Would Have Done It Sooner."
Lenita Brewer, 64, leads an active life, following baseball games all over the U.S., taking walks with her husband, and working toward weight loss goals for her birthday in September.
Her on-the-go lifestyle was put on pause when she injured her right knee while doing chores around the house last year. Lenita had torn the meniscus, which is cartilage in the knee that protects the bones from being worn down and stabilizes the joint. Tearing the meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS).
Lenita sought to relieve her knee pain with various treatments, such as over-the-counter medication and physical therapy. However, after months of dealing with the pain without relief, Lenita turned to Broward Health Imperial Point for a right knee arthroscopy with partial meniscectomy.
“Lenita presented to me with pain in her knee that had been treated by other doctors for months with no improvement,” said Michael Mashura, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at the Fort Lauderdale hospital.
According to the AAOS, Lenita’s symptoms were typical. Many people with knee pain report experiencing swelling and a limited range of motion, with symptoms often intensifying over time. Dr. Mashura recommends that people experiencing joint pain contact an orthopedic surgeon sooner rather than later. “Having the joint issues evaluated can give the patient the best chance of returning to the activities they love as quickly as possible,” he said.
After careful evaluation of Lenita’s case, Dr. Mashura and his team recommended surgery to help her get back to her active life and to help her experience possible benefits of orthopedic surgery, such as less pain and a more natural-feeling joint.
“I know people are apprehensive about surgery, and I wish that I had not waited so long,” said Lenita. “If I had to do it over again, I would have done it sooner,” she said.
In addition to the benefits of the surgery, Lenita was also noted the care she received at Broward Health Imperial Point during the intake process.
“This is what impressed me right away,” she said about the communication and detailed explanations during the procedure. “I came in early in the morning and the nurse immediately came down to get me. I had never been escorted to where I needed to go,” Lenita said. “It was just the right mix of care and efficiency to make you feel comfortable.”
Lenita was able to leave the hospital the same day and quickly started tackling small chores to keep her body moving. When she returned to the hospital for her first post-operation visit, she shared that she was able to sleep through the night and did not need to take pain medication.
“Everything at Broward Health Imperial Point was almost perfect in my experience,” she said.