For years, Darin Wildhart pushed through pain that slowly took over his life. A healthcare software sales executive who loves golf, fishing and spending time outdoors, Darin found even the simplest daily activities becoming increasingly difficult.
“I had severe arthritis in my right knee,” Darin said. “Anything that involved walking was extremely painful – airports, sporting events, shopping. Basically, everything.”
Darin had lived with knee pain for more than a decade. Although he had undergone a left knee replacement several years earlier at a different orthopedic practice, his recovery from that surgery was prolonged and challenging. That experience made him hesitant to move forward with another knee replacement, even as his quality of life continued to decline.
“It was very depressing and frustrating,” Darin shared. “I delayed treatment for years because my first knee replacement didn’t go very well, and it took a very long time to recover.”
Before coming to Central Indiana Orthopedics (CIO), Darin had been receiving pain management injections elsewhere and had even scheduled his second total knee replacement. But a recommendation from a close friend changed everything. After hearing about his friend’s successful hip replacement with Dr. Jamie Kay at CIO, Darin decided to seek a second opinion.
“I was able to get in to see Dr. Kay quickly,” Darin said. “Knowing that Dr. Kay himself had both of his knees replaced using the same technology he’d be using on me gave me a lot of confidence. Soon after that visit, we scheduled surgery.”
From the beginning, Darin felt reassured by the care he received. “I have not had a more enjoyable experience with a health issue, and I’ve had several surgeries,” he said. “Dr. Kay, the nurses, the entire staff and Damon in physical therapy were all awesome.”
Although his previous experience made the decision difficult, seeing how quickly his friend recovered and learning more about Mako robotic-assisted technology helped Darin feel confident this surgery would be different.
“I had little doubt it would be a completely different experience,” he said.
And it was.
Just days after surgery, Darin was already walking and shopping with his mom. Within nine days, he met his knee straightening and flexibility goals, something that had taken months of painful physical therapy after his first knee replacement.
“I was shocked at how quickly my recovery went and how immediate the pain relief was,” Darin said. “My friends and family were shocked, too.”
Today, Darin says the change has been nothing short of life-changing.
“I actually get a little emotional just thinking about it,” he said. “It has changed my life in EVERY way. I forgot what simple things felt like, like walking up and down stairs normally, grocery shopping without leaning on the cart or simply stepping off a curb.”
He has already started swinging a golf club again, pain-free, and looks forward to a full return to the game he loves. “I recently played golf indoors on a simulator, and it was amazing,” he said.
Looking back, Darin has one major regret: waiting so long.
“I would tell anyone in a similar situation not to do what I did and prolong your suffering,” he said. “If I had known what my experience and outcome would be with CIO, I would have had this procedure years ago.”
Today, Darin is grateful not just for his recovery, but for getting his life back.
“Do not hesitate any longer,” he said. “Go see the CIO team and get your life back. I cannot thank them enough.”
Darin’s story is a powerful reminder that innovative technology, compassionate care and personalized treatment can restore more than mobility. They can restore joy, independence and confidence in everyday life.
To learn more about Central Indiana Orthopedics and how our team supports patients through comprehensive orthopedic care, explore our full range of services or hear directly from our patients at ciocenter.com/why-choose-cio.