The 2025 holiday season took an unexpected turn for Ethelyn St. John when a simple walk into a friend’s home outside of Dayton ended in a serious injury. As she and two friends headed inside for Thanksgiving dinner, one friend lost her balance and fell backward, knocking St. John to the ground.
Family quickly gathered to help, initially focusing on St. John’s friend, who was bleeding from a head wound. When a friend asked St. John if she could stand, she realized she couldn’t.
“It didn’t really hurt at that moment,” she recalled. “It just felt like there was nothing there.”
Soon, both women were on their way to Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department. While her friend’s head injury initially drew attention, an X-ray quickly revealed the seriousness of St. John’s injury: a shattered hip.
That diagnosis set in motion a swift and efficient chain of events.
“They admitted me and got me into a hospital room right away,” St. John explained. “I saw Dr. Brian Laman quickly, and my surgery was scheduled for the next day.”
St. John was able to stay in Sheridan for her entire surgery and recovery process, surrounded by familiar faces and supported by her family in town, as well as her children, who flew in from Arizona and Oklahoma to be by her side.
Dr. Laman, an orthopedic surgeon at Sheridan Orthopedic Associates, performed St. John’s hip replacement.
“He did a good job,” St. John shared. “He got me in and out pretty fast, and he was so positive about it. He acted like I’d get up off the operating table, get in my car and head home.”
After surgery, St. John moved to Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Transitional Care Unit (TCU), where she focused on recovery and rehabilitation through occupational and physical therapy with Lexie Prosinski, MOTR/L, and Tiffany Sutton, DPT, PT. During her therapy sessions, St. John practiced walking up and down stairs, built confidence in her movement by walking the hallway while tossing a ball back and forth with her caregivers and learned how to safely get in and out of a car.
That final milestone came full circle for St. John, who volunteers with the hospital’s Auxiliary, which helped fund the car simulator she used during therapy.
St. John’s confidence in her care was reinforced by long-standing relationships at Sheridan Memorial Hospital. During her stay, her primary care provider—Internal Medicine physician Dr. Hannah Hall—stopped by while on duty, and hospital staff members St. John recognized from her 17 years of volunteering checked in on her.
Despite receiving care across multiple service lines, St. John said the transition between departments felt smooth and well-coordinated.
“It didn’t feel strange at all,” she said. “Everything felt seamless.”
Today, St. John admits she’s a bit impatient to be fully back to normal, but she’s staying active, considering chair-based exercise classes and continuing to build strength.
Despite the unexpected nature of her injury, St. John looks back on her experience with gratitude. When asked if she would recommend Dr. Laman, her answer was clear.
“Yes,” she said. “Everyone I know who’s broken a hip, he’s done their surgery. He’s busy, but he’s very kind. Very nice.”
For St. John, receiving expert orthopedic care close to home meant healing faster—and staying connected to the family and community she loves, right here in Sheridan.