'Forever grateful': Franklin doctor helps grandmother get back to playing with grandkids

Seyna Clark, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read
Sydney Broach said her biggest disappointment prior to surgery was not being able to be active with her grandkids or work outside on her farm. Broach is pictured sitting on her brand new tractor after her successful hip replacement performed by Dr. Cory Calendine at Williamson Medical Center.
Sydney Broach said her biggest disappointment prior to surgery was not being able to be active with her grandkids or work outside on her farm. Broach is pictured sitting on her brand new tractor after her successful hip replacement performed by Dr. Cory Calendine at Williamson Medical Center.

Sydney Broach lives with her husband on what she considers a little private piece of heaven in Franklin. Broach's four grandchildren often visit them out in the countryside.

Broach, who retired in 2016, loved taking care of household chores; going outside and mowing grass, cutting down trees and bushes on their 23-acre farm. Even as a senior, she swam laps in her backyard pool. Her grandchildren enjoyed fishing and kayaking in the nearby lake.

Then in 2019, hip problems began to limit her activities. By mid-2020, she sought medical treatment.

The following fall, Broach was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects joints, leading to bone erosion and joint deformity over a period of time.

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Approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, according to Healthline. Symptoms include joint pain, swelling, weight loss, and fatigue.

Broach, 71, couldn't walk without a walker. Her life became homebound.

Broach was told she needed a hip replacement.

Luckily she met Dr. Cory Calendine, who utilized a groundbreaking hip replacement design by Stryker — the company positions itself as a global medical technology leader.

"Truth about joint replacement is that you cure arthritis," Calendine said.

Fast forward to December 6, 2021.

Broach, was the first patient to undergo this hip replacement surgery at Williamson Medical Center.

"The heavy lifting on this project was with the engineers who had to do the intricate design work to make a piece of metal fit exactly to the bone," Calendine explained.

"Ultimately, that's what it's all about; getting the patient back to the life they love."

Broach feels 98% back to where she started.

"Dr. Calendine turned my life around!" she said. "The hip replacement has truly been a blessing. It gave me a life where I have resumed normal activities and can be of value to my family.

"Dr. Calendine gave me a productive life again for which I will be forever grateful."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Franklin doctor helps grandmother recover from rheumatoid arthritis