Pat Foster's Story

Pat Foster's knee replacement surgery at Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis has her back on her feet.

Pat Foster knows what it takes to help others get back on their feet. She’s a physical therapist who dedicated her career to helping patients regain strength and mobility. After dealing with her own knee pain for more than a decade, Pat decided it was time to go ahead with two knee replacement surgeries. Now she’s working on building her strength and improving every day with physical therapy.

Pat is retired from Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis after a 40 year career in physical therapy.
“I’ve had the chance to see how things have evolved and all of the advances in the field, and I wouldn’t go anywhere else for my care,” Pat shares.

About 10 years ago, she had a knee arthroscopy on her right knee. This minimally invasive surgery helped improve functioning of the joint, but over time both of Pat’s knees worsened. “I started realizing that I was struggling to do some of the things I normally do, and I was avoiding certain activities,” Pat says. “In November 2014, I saw my orthopedic doctor, Dr. Richard Ennis, and he suggested knee replacement surgery.”

Pat had her first knee replacement in February 2015 followed by three months of physical therapy and a second knee replacement in June 2015. Dr. Ennis performed both surgeries. Dr. John Fleenor, a hospitalist, monitored Pat’s acute and inpatient stay at the hospital, and Dr. Robert Greene coordinated her inpatient rehabilitation.

“When you go in for elective surgery, you have a chance to interact with a lot of departments. I had excellent care in all aspects, from physical therapy to occupational therapy to registrations to surgery, all the floors,” Pat shares. “Everyone did their jobs well; I give them all a thumbs up!”

Pat is continuing with her outpatient physical therapy and going to the gym for exercise. “I don’t know whether or not I’ll be able to get back to doing what I love to do at the hospital yet, but that’s my goal,” she says. “Even if I don’t manage to get back to work, I’ve enjoyed this career and it will still help me to be able to be as independent as I can in my own life.”

Setting mini goals helps Pat stay motivated to keep moving forward. “It might be something as simple as being able to get in and out of a car, putting groceries away or carrying a cup of coffee without spilling! These small things add up over time.” For Pat, getting back on her feet again has made it possible for her to spend more time with her young granddaughter, Savannah, the greatest reward of all!