Lewis and Cherie Washington are no stranger to competition. As former college athletes, the couple used their competitive spirit to overcome a new hurdle, total knee and hip replacement surgeries at Methodist Midlothian Medical Center.
”We didn‘t want to sacrifice a better quality of life,“ Cherie says. ”At Methodist, we felt at home, we felt safe, and I think that really matters.”
The Washingtons had been dealing with pain for a long time. Lewis, in particular, was struggling with sharp hip pain that left him relying on crutches just to get around. Cherie’s knee pain and swelling kept waking her up every night. The initial plan was to tough it out, but a family milestone helped them realize they needed a more permanent solution.
“My daughter wanted me to walk her down the aisle and you don’t want to miss those moments,” Lewis says. “During the wedding, I was in so much pain, but I worked through it. Afterward, I told Cherie that we needed to do the surgery, so we made the decision to do it together.”
SOMETHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR
Lewis and Cherie, who both retired from Fort Worth ISD after years as school administrators, chose to have their surgeries during Thanksgiving week, within a few days of each other.
“He is my best friend,” says Cherie. ”We do everything together.”
Having family members tackle surgery with the same physician isn’t all that uncommon says their doctor, Edward Mairura, MD, orthopedic surgeon on staff at Methodist Midlothian.
”I see couples, parents and their kids, siblings. It’s not as rare as you think,“ Dr. Mairura says. ”The big thing that stood out with the Washingtons was that they decided to do their surgeries during the same week.”
The breaking point for Lewis was his daughter’s wedding, when he had to grin and bear it through the pain.
Cherie’s surgery was up first. Dr. Mairura performed a total knee replacement to treat arthritis in all parts of her right knee.
The surgery involved replacing the damaged ends of her femur and tibia and resurfacing the kneecap with metal and plastic parts, helping to reduce pain and improve movement. Lewis underwent an anterior total hip replacement where the ball and socket joint were replaced with metal and plastic to create a new artificial hip.
”Cherie went home the same day of her surgery,“ Dr. Mairura says. ”Hips do better than knees early on, so Lewis had an easier time and was up and moving almost immediately. With the knee, it’s a bit tougher so it takes several weeks for it to feel much better.”
The Washingtons are used to being active. In college, Lewis played football, and Cherie ran track.
FRIENDLY COMPETITION
If you spend a few minutes with the Washingtons, you’ll find out who healed quicker than the other — depending on who is telling the story.
”I’m the more athletic one, and he’s a lot older, so obviously I did better,” says Cherie.
”You know you’re telling the story wrong,” Lewis interjects. “I was the one helping her.”
At the end of the day, the bond they’ve created over nearly 35 years of marriage is what really led to their successful recoveries.
”I think our competitiveness is what made us get better faster. We knew when both of us were in some type of pain that we were going through it together,” Cherie says. ”Even though it was a knee surgery for me, a hip surgery for him, it was good going through it with your partner.“
Lewis and Cherie have been married for 34 years.
Now, Cherie is looking forward to having surgery done in the fall on her left knee to ensure she and Lewis can continue living the active lifestyle required to chase around their granddaughters.
“Our family is important to us. The doors in this house have not stopped opening,” Lewis says. “We love the grandkids, but we also like our freedom too.”
The Washingtons feel like they have that freedom back and encourage others who are in pain to seek help if needed.
“I would tell people not to settle and be in pain for the rest of their life,” Cherie says. “Invest in yourself, your future, and your quality of life. Don’t be afraid.”
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