30 Oct From The Patient: Julie Clune

As an active 40-year-old woman with a bustling career, the last thing Julie Clune thought she would need was a hip replacement. But after years of debilitating pain began preventing Julie from participating in the monthly 5K runs she once enjoyed, she knew something was wrong.

Upon visiting a local physician in October 2023, Julie was referred to Brian Perkinson, M.D., at Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee. Initial X-rays revealed that Julie was suffering from severe degenerative bone disease and would require a new hip.

“When I got the diagnosis, I thought, ‘I’m only 40, this can’t be happening to me,’” said Julie.

But Dr. Perkinson explained that the long-term benefit of a hip replacement would give Julie more quality of life than any other pain management option.

Soon enough, the decision was made, and Julie’s hip replacement surgery was scheduled for December. However, the date of the surgery forced Julie and her husband to postpone a tropical vacation to Hawaii for the second time.

“It was disappointing, but I decided to put my health first and give myself the gift of walking for Christmas instead,” said Julie.

Leading up to the surgery, Dr. Perkinson and his team made Julie feel as comfortable as possible.

“I was scared, but they knew I was scared and did everything they could to reassure me,” said Julie. “They basically give you the book of what to expect when expecting a new hip. They walk you through the procedure and prepare you and your caretaker for recovery.”

On the morning of surgery, Julie kept a positive attitude dancing and singing in the parking lot with her husband. She knew this was the start of a new beginning.

After a successful surgery, Julie woke up slightly disoriented but with a new hip, while Dr. Perkinson and his team were readily available to reassure her.

“I stayed overnight and everyone was so helpful—the nurses had me walking by the next day,” said Julie.

Once she was discharged, Julie’s road to recovery began. However, Dr. Perkinson had faith in Julie’s rapid recovery since she was one of his youngest patients to receive a hip replacement.

“I had a lot of questions, but Dr. Perkinson was always available to answer them,” said Julie. “Even when I sent questions through the patient portal, they were answered in just a few hours.”

By two weeks after surgery, the bandages had been removed, and it was time for Julie to start physical therapy.

“Physical therapy was hard, but the providers were kind and showed me different techniques to relearn how to walk,” said Julie. “I set small goals for myself like sitting and standing, working with the blocks and using the cane to walk.”

By four weeks after surgery, Julie had completed physical therapy, but her self-motivation remained strong. She walked up and down her driveway with her cane daily and made the most of the situation, even turning mundane tasks like grocery shopping into something enjoyable.

“I would push the grocery cart, and my husband would push me in the wheelchair,” said Julie. “We just tried to have fun with it while I was recovering.”

But Julie had made bigger promises to herself before surgery. She was determined to complete another 5K and her muscles were growing stronger by the day.

In August 2024, only eight months post-operation, Julie completed the Titans 5K run in Nashville. Sporting a huge smile and her “New Hip-Hip Hooray” T-shirt, Julie sent a proud picture to Dr. Perkinson.

“I’m just so thankful to Dr. Perkinson for giving me the gift of walking and allowing me to once again live my active lifestyle,’ said Julie. “I will definitely be returning to Dr. Perkinson at Bone and Joint Institute for any other orthopaedic needs.”

Julie and her husband are now looking forward to their next adventure and maybe even a rescheduled trip to Hawaii.