When the pain first started, Steve Miller pushed through as he was used to working hard. Owning a hardware store and managing rental properties meant he was often on his feet. But gradually, even simple tasks like walking across a room or tying his shoes became overwhelming. Steve recalled, “It was an effort to do everything.”   

Even his wife, Jona, noticed how much Steve was struggling. She said, “For him to be so debilitated that he is near tears, I knew this was really serious.”   

The couple, who built a life together in Pittsburgh’s South Hills and will be celebrating their 42nd wedding anniversary net January, began to realize the toll the pain was taking on their lives. “We didn’t have a life,” Steve admitted.  

Nights were sleepless. Simple joys like hiking or playing with their grandchildren became unbearable. Even vacations seemed out of reach. “I wondered, if he’s going to be in a wheelchair, where can we go? I thought the life we had hoped for was over,” Jona said.   

After years of physical therapy and trying to manage the pain that crept into his daily life, Steve decided enough was enough. He met with three different physicians to discuss options before choosing Colonel Todd Balog, MD, FAAOS, Clinical Director of Total Joint Replacement at St. Clair Health.  

“When I came in, the first thing I said was, tell me about you. And Dr. Balog went through it all—his experience, what he does, why he does it, and what to expect. He was spot on with the recovery,” Steve said.  

Jona added, “The thing that really impressed both of us was his confidence, and that he answered every one of our questions without hesitation.”  

Steve underwent anterior hip replacement surgery—first on his left hip, then on his right. The results were immediate and life changing for both Steve and Jona, as the recovery brought not just physical relief but also emotional renewal. They felt like they had been given their life back.  

“When we had our first post-op visit with Dr. Balog, Steve got up and he was in tears,” Jona remembered. “He grabbed Dr. Balog and said, ‘Thank you so much. Look at me. I can get up out of the chair.’ This was just with the left hip being done, only 10 days out of surgery.”  

Steve stressed, “I get up every morning, and I’m thankful. First thing out of bed is, thank you Jesus and thank you St. Clair Hospital. I’ve come here for everything because they genuinely care here, all the way through.”  

For Dr. Balog, a retired Army Ranger and experienced orthopedic surgeon, that’s exactly the point. “Helping you get back out there is the best feeling in the world,” he said.  

Dr. Balog continued, “There is absolutely nothing better than taking a person who’s living their life in pain, restricted from doing the things they love, and within a matter of hours, giving them a new lease on life.”  

Today, the Millers are back to enjoying the life they worked so hard to build. Joint replacement and the corresponding physical therapy restored Steve’s mobility, giving both him and Jona the freedom to plan the future they once feared was lost.

You don’t have to live with chronic pain or let it define your life. If that pain is holding you back, now is the time to take the first step toward relief.

Visit our website to learn how Dr. Balog and the team at St. Clair Medical Group Orthopedic Surgery can help you move forward with confidence.