[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/09\/rome-malizia-story\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/09\/rome-malizia-story\/","headline":"Back to Normal After Hip Replacement: Rome’s Story","name":"Back to Normal After Hip Replacement: Rome’s Story","description":"

Rome underwent a right hip replacement surgery at UPMC Williamsport in June 2025. The surgery relieved his hip pain, and he had a smooth recovery.<\/p>","datePublished":"2025-09-15","dateModified":"2025-10-30","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\/09\/GettyImages-1195465031-e1757705099560.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-1195465031-e1757705099560.jpg","height":866,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/09\/rome-malizia-story\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Orthopaedics"],"wordCount":798,"articleBody":"Romolo (Rome) Malizia II heard a common refrain anytime he talked to someone about hip replacement surgery.\u201cThe single common answer was, \u2018I don’t know why I waited,\u2019\u201d says Rome, 70, of Montoursville, in north central Pennsylvania.So, when Rome decided to have his right hip replaced, time was of the essence \u2014 and orthopaedic surgeon John Bailey, MD, obliged.Dr. Bailey performed a right hip replacement on Rome on June 11, 2025, at UPMC Williamsport. He recovered quickly and returned to work soon after the procedure.\u201cThe whole experience, from start to finish, was flawless,\u201d he says.Pain and DiscomfortRome, the sales manager at Alexander Subaru in Muncy, Pa., started feeling discomfort in his hip about two years before his surgery.He could tolerate the pain for the most part, although it did keep him from sleeping on his right side. However, his hip affected him when he walked \u2014 he couldn’t walk long distances.\u201cIt was a situation where I would walk, and it would trip out,\u201d he says. \u201cI would be walking, and it would be like, \u2018Boom,\u2019 almost like it would want to collapse.\u201dEventually, Rome decided to pursue a hip replacement.\u201cI\u2019m a very active person,\u201d he adds. \u201cI\u2019m always doing something. I\u2019m on my feet a lot, so I needed to get it fixed.\u201dHe initially scheduled a hip replacement using the posterior approach at another local facility. However, he changed his mind after a friend who visited him at work advised him.\u201cShe said to me: \u2018Rome, cancel your surgery. You\u2019re having the wrong procedure done. You want to have Dr. Bailey do an anterior hip replacement,\u2019\u201d Rome recalls.In a direct anterior approach, the surgeon operates from the front of the body, avoiding cuts into the muscle. This approach involves a smaller incision and typically results in a shorter recovery time.\u201c”I did the research, and I found out that the anterior was the right way to go,\u201d Rome says.A Smooth ProcedureRome met Dr. Bailey in mid-May 2025.Initially, when Rome asked about a time frame for his surgery, Dr. Bailey gave him an estimate of a couple of months. However, upon Rome’s request, Dr. Bailey found an opening in his schedule for June.\u201cIt was extremely important (to me),\u201d Rome says. \u201cThis might not sound important, but my daughter was planning my 70th birthday party for July 26, and I wanted to be healed and finished by then.\u201dRome went in for surgery on June 11, and the operation went smoothly.\u201cDr. Bailey was amazing,\u201d Rome says. \u201cEven right down to the incision, it\u2019s a work of art. I had no issues with the incision, I had no drainage, I had basically no issues.\u201dThe day after the surgery, he visited the physical therapy unit at UPMC Williamsport for a brief session. When he proved he could move well after the surgery, the unit discharged him.Rome says his entire experience at UPMC Williamsport was positive.\u201cThe people at the hospital were amazing,\u201d he says.\u201cThe one thing that’s never amazing in a hospital actually was there \u2014 and that was the food,\u201d he adds, chuckling. \u201cI had breakfast, and I had dinner there. It was served hot. It was served fresh. It wasn’t lying around under a heat lamp for hours before it got to you.\u201cI have 26 years in the food business, so I know food. I said to somebody, \u2018Why is the food so good here?\u2019 They said, \u2018They do their own food here. They don’t have an outside service.\u2019\u201dBack to Full PowerTwo months after surgery, Rome feels strong. He used a walker for a couple of days after surgery and a cane for a few more days, but he was walking on his own after that.He experienced minimal pain during his recovery and returned to work about two weeks after his surgery. His hip no longer \u201ctrips out\u201d when he walks.\u201cI’m doing awesome,\u201d he says. \u201cI have been back to doing normal activities, doing whatever I need to do around the house. Everything’s great. I would recommend it to anybody who’s having issues.\u201dRome describes the care he received from Dr. Bailey and his staff as \u201camazing.\u201d\u201cHe was very easy to deal with and very informative about the process,\u201d Rome says. \u201cI wasn’t going into it blind. I knew what was going on. He explained everything in detail.\u201cAnd then, after he was done, his staff in the office \u2014 the nurse navigator and the scheduler \u2014 everybody had everything done on my first visit. I was there, and they all did a fantastic job. And believe me: I am the type of person who would tell you if it was bad.\u201dSources"},{"@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":"09","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/\/09\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Back to Normal After Hip Replacement: Rome’s Story","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/09\/rome-malizia-story\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]