Shoulder surgery at Methodist Charlton Medical Center turned Kenneth Govan from the hospital’s “ultimate cheerleader” into an undercover boss.
“There were never any discussions about who I was,” says Kenneth, who has served on the health system’s Board of Directors since 2020 but last spring was happy to be treated like any other patient. “The focus was always on how I was feeling.”
The Dallas native and longtime executive for Oncor Electric Delivery also serves as chairman of the Methodist Charlton Advisory Board. So he’s used to promoting the hospital in the community. Now he has more first-hand experience as a patient.
“It was an eye-opening experience,” says Kenneth, who was treated for an old rotator cuff injury aggravated by a car crash last year. “I’m extremely proud of my hospital.”
LIVING IN PAIN
Before the 2023 crash, Kenneth had been dealing with left shoulder pain for years that made it increasingly difficult to carry out basic tasks.
“My quality of life was going down,” he says. “I would forget that I couldn’t use my arm but try to, and it was very frustrating.”
Initial treatments included physical therapy, exercise, and steroid shots, but those solutions provided only temporary relief from the pain.
“Steroid injections only help with inflammation, not the healing of the tendon,” says Jesus Rey, MD, orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at Methodist Charlton.
Every day presented new challenges for Kenneth, who decided to turn to surgery to relieve the pain and prevent any further damage.
“Patients may have a tear in one of the tendons and don’t know it because the other muscles are doing the job,” Dr. Rey says.
In the meantime, the tear gets worse, causing chronic pain, limited mobility, and muscle weakness. In some cases, the joint may grate or crack when patients move the injured arm.
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‘IT MEANT A LOT’
On March 12, Kenneth underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery, a minimally invasive procedure in which Dr. Rey used a small camera and miniature instruments to repair the tendon.
The operation lasted just under two hours, and Kenneth was discharged from Methodist Charlton the same day. Throughout the experience, he got a close-up look at the quality of service and compassion at a hospital he thought he knew inside and out.
“Everything meant a lot, especially the nurses who checked on me after the surgery,” Kenneth says.
He also appreciated Dr. Rey’s personal touch: “He literally cared. He prayed for me before the surgery.”
BACK TO NORMAL
Surgery was just the beginning of a months-long recovery that required some patience for Kenneth.
“Strength is usually what takes the longest to return,” Dr. Rey says. “That can take up to a year.”
After a month in a sling and several nights sleeping in a recliner to avoid rolling onto his left arm, Kenneth started physical therapy at the three-month mark to regain his mobility.
Now six months removed from surgery, he’s feeling much better and has returned to his normal routine.
“I’m back to where I was,” Kenneth says. “I can’t think of anything that I can’t do.”
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