[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/08\/samantha-raspat-patient-testimonial\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/08\/samantha-raspat-patient-testimonial\/","headline":"Samantha Raspat Patient Testimonial: Shoulder Replacement","name":"Samantha Raspat Patient Testimonial: Shoulder Replacement","description":"<p><\/p>","datePublished":"2025-08-26","dateModified":"2025-10-22","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/orthopaedics-regions","name":"UPMC Orthopaedic Care","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/orthopaedics-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/orthopaedic-surgery\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Samantha_R_1-e1755712612557.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Samantha_R_1-e1755712612557.jpg","height":866,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/08\/samantha-raspat-patient-testimonial\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Orthopaedics"],"wordCount":763,"articleBody":"Samantha R., 40, of South Park, is no stranger to UPMC hospitals.Back in 2002, at 17, she was diagnosed with eosinophilia, a rare blood condition, which later developed into non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.\u201cI was devastated at first, but the doctors and staff at UPMC showed great care and compassion to help ease my worries,\u201d Samantha says. \u201cThey handled everything quickly and expertly.\u201dShortly after her diagnosis, she began a two-year chemotherapy regimen that involved five treatment regimens of spinal taps and multiple intravenous treatments; the final regimen was oral chemotherapy with monthly spinal taps. The methods were successful in eliminating the cancer, but her joints paid a heavy toll from the high doses of steroids.A New DiagnosisIt wasn\u2019t long before Samantha was suffering from avascular necrosis (AVN), also called osteonecrosis, which is the death of bone tissue caused by blocked blood flow. AVN affected both of Samantha\u2019s shoulders and hips. The condition can cause bones to fracture or collapse easily \u2014 a hard reality for an active teenager.\u201cBy the time I was 19, I had a limp and a lot of hip pain,\u201d Samantha explains. That\u2019s when doctors recommended a partial hip resurfacing procedure on her left side.Hip resurfacing surgery is an alternative to a total hip replacement, which was the better choice for Samantha because she was so young. A surgeon replaces the hip socket and reshapes the femur (thigh bone) to fit into the new joint.The surgery was successful, but required Samantha to use crutches and then a cane for recovery. Her reliance on the cane eventually caused the collapse of her right shoulder.That\u2019s when she went to see shoulder orthopaedic surgeon Mark Rodosky, MD, for the first time in what would become a decades-long relationship.The First of Several SurgeriesDr. Rodosky first performed surgery to remove the bone debris in Samantha\u2019s right shoulder. The procedure was successful, but the AVN caused a condition known as \u201cdrop shoulder,\u201d in which the shoulder blade sits lower than normal. It caused a loss of range of motion due to muscle weakness and the bone damage from the AVN.\u201cIt looked like I had a severe shoulder injury with this big dent in my shoulder,\u201d says Samantha. \u201cIt was time for a more significant surgery.\u201dA few months later, Dr. Rodosky performed a total shoulder replacement on Samantha\u2019s right side. Samantha was still just a young adult, but the surgery and recovery went well. She regained full range of motion in her shoulder.From there, Samantha kept up with Dr. Rodosky every three to four years to check on her shoulder&#8217;s health. It was years later, in October 2021, that he began discussing a total shoulder replacement for her left side.\u201cI knew I needed it, but I wanted to wait a few months for my daughter to grow out of her crib, as I wasn\u2019t sure what recovery would look like as a mom,\u201d explains Samantha.In May 2022, Samantha underwent her second total shoulder replacement. \u201cEverything went really well,\u201d she exclaims. \u201cI\u2019m someone who brings up a lot of questions, and everyone was patient and kind with me, never irritated.\u201dSince then, Samantha continues to have checkups with Dr. Rodosky every few years, monitoring her shoulder health, mobility, and pain level.New Hips to Go With New ShouldersBut the biggest testament to Samantha\u2019s shoulders came last year when she had both hips replaced by reconstructive orthopaedic surgeon Kenneth Urish, MD, one in February 2024 and the other in June 2024.\u201cI needed to use a walker and cane for each procedure, and I didn\u2019t have any shoulder pain or complications,\u201d Samantha says. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have been able to recover so well with my hip replacements if it weren\u2019t for my healthy shoulders.\u201dToday, Samantha is proudly pain-free and has complete range of motion in her fully replaced shoulders and hips. She can participate in life with her 6- and 9-year-old daughters \u2014 whether they&#8217;re running around the yard or having dance parties in the living room. Her hips remain healthy and strong, and she\u2019s confident her new joints will last a lifetime.\u201cI can\u2019t help but speak highly of all the care I\u2019ve gotten from all the doctors, systems, and hospitals from UPMC over the decades,\u201d Samantha says. \u201cNow let\u2019s just hope my medical records stay quiet and boring for the next several decades!\u201dEditor's Note: This article was originally published on August 26, 2025, and was last reviewed on October 22, 2025.Sources"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2025","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"08","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/\/08\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Samantha Raspat Patient Testimonial: Shoulder Replacement","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/08\/samantha-raspat-patient-testimonial\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]