After severe hip dysplasia left her struggling to walk at just 37 years old, Abbey traveled from Nebraska to Chicago for minimally invasive hip replacement surgery with Dr. Richard Berger. What followed was more than a return to mobility. It was the beginning of a new chapter for her family.

For Abbey Theis, the simple act of walking alongside her daughter is something she’ll never take for granted. Today, the Lincoln, Nebraska, mother spends her days chasing after her spirited four-year-old, building sandcastles, and jogging beside her daughter’s little princess bike. They’re ordinary moments of childhood and motherhood, but for Abbey, they represent something extraordinary.

Just a few years earlier, she could barely walk. At 37 years old, severe hip pain had taken away her ability to run, limited her independence, and left her wondering what the future might hold. At the same time, she and her husband were navigating fertility challenges and hoping to start a family. Then, a trip to Chicago and two hip replacement surgeries with Dr. Richard Berger helped change the course of her life.

From Half Marathons to Barely Walking

Abbey had always enjoyed staying active, but in 2014, she discovered a particular passion for distance running. “I started doing a lot of half marathons,” she recalls. “It turns out they were incredibly fun.” Running became something she genuinely loved, offering both a physical challenge and a sense of accomplishment. But after completing what would become her final half marathon, everything changed.

The following day, Abbey was exercising on a rowing machine when the compressed position of the movement triggered sudden, excruciating hip pain. “That scrunch is what did me in,” she remembers. “I had to roll off of the machine, and there was, of course, a lot of pain and tears.” What followed was a difficult period of worsening mobility and uncertainty. By the time she was 37, Abbey’s pain had become so debilitating that even walking was a struggle.

“By age 37, I could no longer walk on any given day. I definitely couldn’t run. I could barely work.” For someone who had once enjoyed running half marathons, losing the ability to move freely was devastating. And the timing couldn’t have been more difficult.

Searching for Answers and Finding Dr. Berger

As Abbey’s condition worsened, she and her husband began researching treatment options. Their search repeatedly led them to Dr. Richard Berger, an orthopedic surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH in Chicago known for his pioneering work in minimally invasive outpatient hip and knee replacement surgery. “We kept hitting on Richard Berger in Chicago,” Abbey recalls. “Coming from Lincoln, Nebraska, thinking, wow, that sounds pretty crazy going to Chicago to see a surgeon.” Despite the distance, they decided to make the trip.

When Abbey met with Dr. Berger, she finally received an explanation for the pain and mobility problems that had taken over her life. He diagnosed her with severe hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a condition in which the hip joint does not develop normally, often resulting in an improperly formed hip socket. Over time, this can cause abnormal wear on the joint, leading to pain, arthritis, and reduced mobility at a much younger age than typically expected. “Lots of people have hip dysplasia where their hips aren’t formed normally since birth,” Dr. Berger explains. “They wear out faster. So instead of when they’re 80, they wear out when they’re 20 and 30 years old.”

For younger patients like Abbey, the diagnosis can be particularly difficult. Rather than enjoying the active years of early adulthood, they may find themselves facing significant joint deterioration and limitations. Fortunately, Dr. Berger was able to offer Abbey a treatment option designed to help restore her mobility.

A Minimally Invasive Approach to Hip Replacement

Dr. Berger has spent nearly 25 years pioneering minimally invasive outpatient hip and knee replacement techniques that preserve the surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tendons. His approach is designed to minimize surgical trauma, reduce postoperative discomfort, and help patients begin moving again soon after surgery. For Abbey, the experience was remarkable.

“The surgery was wonderful,” she recalls. “They had me walking within hours, walking upstairs.” After struggling with even basic mobility, being able to stand, walk, and navigate stairs so soon after surgery was an important milestone. Abbey ultimately underwent two hip replacements with Dr. Berger, with her second procedure taking place in July 2021.

But while her physical recovery was progressing, another deeply personal journey was unfolding.

A Dream of Motherhood Amid Uncertainty

Abbey and her husband had married later in life and were hoping to start a family. They had been navigating fertility challenges, and the timing of Abbey’s worsening hip condition added another layer of uncertainty to an already emotional experience. “My husband and I got married a little bit later in life,” Abbey explains. “We were having fertility issues, so right when we wanted to start progressing in the fertility aspect of life is when my body kind of started falling apart.”

As Abbey struggled with her mobility, the couple began to question whether their dream of becoming parents would ever happen. “We didn’t know if we could ever have a child.” For Abbey, the challenges weren’t simply physical. The loss of independence and uncertainty surrounding her health affected how she envisioned her future.

She wanted to become a mother, but first she needed to feel confident in her ability to move, care for herself, and embrace the responsibilities of raising a child. Her hip replacements helped restore that confidence.

An Unexpected Opportunity Changes Everything

In July 2021, Abbey underwent her second hip replacement with Dr. Berger. As she continued recovering, she and her husband received unexpected news. They had been approached about adoption.

It was an opportunity they had hoped for, but one that came at a time when Abbey was still rebuilding her strength and mobility. For Abbey, the progress she had made after surgery gave her the confidence to move forward. “Dr. Berger, he was a massive part of our adoption journey,” she explains. “He gave me back the confidence in just being able to walk. So we had the confidence to go through with it.”

Just a few months after her second hip replacement, Abbey and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world through adoption. They were even able to be present for her birth. After years of uncertainty surrounding both her health and her hopes of becoming a parent, Abbey was beginning an entirely new chapter.

One that, just a short time earlier, had felt out of reach.

Finding Joy in the Everyday Moments

Today, Abbey and her husband are raising a lively four-year-old daughter. And while Abbey’s life looks different from the days when she was running half marathons, she has found a new appreciation for movement. “I don’t run marathons anymore, but I can jog next to my daughter when she rides her little princess bike.” It’s a simple statement that carries enormous meaning.

For Abbey, being active no longer means chasing a personal best or crossing a finish line. It means keeping up with her daughter, playing together, and being physically present for the moments that matter most. Whether they’re building sandcastles or exploring the world together, Abbey can participate in her daughter’s childhood in ways she once feared might not be possible. The ability to walk comfortably, move independently, and enjoy everyday family activities has become its own kind of victory.

More Than Mobility: A Life-Changing Gift

As Dr. Richard Berger celebrates 25 years of pioneering minimally invasive outpatient joint replacement, Abbey’s story illustrates the deeply personal impact that restoring mobility can have on a patient’s life. For some, that means returning to competitive sports or completing a challenging hike. For others, like Abbey, it means regaining the independence and confidence to embrace life’s most meaningful opportunities. Her two hip replacements didn’t just help her move again. They helped her feel ready for a future she and her husband had long dreamed of.

And today, that future includes a little girl, a princess bike, and countless everyday adventures. Abbey’s gratitude for Dr. Berger is heartfelt. “Dr. Berger, thank you for the gift you gave us.” And from her family in Nebraska, she has one final message:

“Thank you with love from Nebraska. We love you so much.”