Maria Viracocha

Every patient who has had a hip replacement operation must be able to successfully climb up and down CAMTA's “stairs to recovery” before they can be released. So many people have stairs that they will need to negotiate once they get home, that they need to know exactly how to climb them without risking injury.

Amazingly, most of the patients who have had their hips replaced recover extremely quickly and are discharged within two days after surgery.

Maria Viracocha is a bit of a special case. Maria lives on a mountainside, and has at least 50 steps to climb before she even reaches her house. Given that, the physiotherapists have decided to keep her an extra day in the hospital to give her a little more time to practice to ensure that she is strong enough before she goes home.

Having made it up, Maria makes her way down the CAMTA stairs with Physiotherapist Brenda Corie offering encouragement and support.

Maria was thrilled that she has made it all the way down!

Maria proudly poses for a photo with translator Miriam van Diest and Brenda Corie. She was released on Saturday!