MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A Connecticut woman dealt with debilitating knee pain for years before she said she found a surgeon who listened to her needs and successfully replaced both of her joints.

“I was totally incapacitated,” Gail Rogers Hopkins told News 8.

Going up and down stairs was impossible for her just a couple of years ago.

“I could hardly move because the pain was just that excruciating,” she explained.

Before the pain consumed her, however, she shared her knees just weren’t her top priority.

“You just push it away because there’s kids to take care of and husbands to take care of and houses and work,” she said.

Rogers Hopkins tried all sorts of remedies like cortisone and CBD before exploring surgery.

“Finding the right doctor was key. I fired four orthopedists before I got to Dr. Lahav, because they, because of my weight, they did not want to do the surgery, and they dismissed me.”

The “right” doctor, she said, is orthopedic surgeon Dr. Amit Lahav at Bridgeport Hospital’s Milford Campus.

“Somebody was actually listening to me and that’s, you know, that was the start of it and so I did everything I was told,” Rogers Hopkins explained while fighting back tears.

Lahav helped her develop a weight loss plan in preparation for surgery. Her first knee was replaced in April and the second in June of last year.

Just about a year later, she said, “I didn’t feel like I had a life prior to this, you know, having the surgery done was just incredible, it just has changed everything.”

Lahav is familiar with Rogers Hopkins’ path to surgery, saying, “functional impairments or mechanical symptoms such as arthritis sometimes takes a backseat.”

While he doesn’t discount a hip or knee replacement being major surgery, he added, “a lot of the total joint replacement you do now are same day, you go home, same day, you’re walking just a couple of hours after surgery, full weight-bearing.”

Lahav also emphasizes that recovery isn’t one size fits all.

“It’s a new joint, it does take some work on there, but if you get that work done earlier on and you maximize where you can get, especially over the first few weeks, you can be walking into my office at two weeks saying, I already feel a difference,” Lahav said.

To those struggling with pain like Rogers Hopkins’, she said, “don’t give up.”

She wants others to know, “it was worth the wait.”

Lahav said consider all your options for joint pain, both surgical and non-surgical. If surgery is the option you choose, make sure you understand the process from prep to post-surgery and prioritize quality communication with your medical team.

You can support Maine’s coast by voting online in the Best Harbors contest, and maybe win some lobster.

Maine has Breathtaking Harbors, But Does It Have the Best Harbor in the US?

I know I’m biased, but I think Maine has some of the most beautiful harbors anywhere.

Bar Harbor, when the Margaret Todd is sailing in at sunset, or Boothbay Harbor, bustling with sailboats and yachts.

READ MORE: Gordon Ramsay Makes the Perfect Lobster BLT in Maine

Then there’s Camden Harbor, often called the prettiest harbor in New England.

But which is the Best Harbor?

That’s what US Harbors is asking in an online contest that’s vote-driven.

Maine is Competing in an Online Contest to Name the Best Harbor in the Country

People are invited to vote for their favorite coastal community, with the top finisher to be named the Best Harbor.

One lucky voter will even win a lobster roll kit (2 pounds of lobster) from US Harbors, just for taking part.

People can only vote once until June 12, 2026, and will have a list of harbors to choose from when they enter ‘Maine’ on the voting form.

Awards will be presented to one Overall Winner and six regional winners, from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Gulf Coast, Pacific, and Great Lakes.

US Harbor Invites People to Vote for Their Favorite Coastal Communities

US Harbors is the #1 source for tide charts and coastal information for over 1,400 harbors in 30 coastal states.

This is the 7th year US Harbors has hosted the contest.

Cast your vote today so we can boast that Maine has the Best Harbor.

MONSON, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) has overseen the complete removal of the 170-year-old Church Manufacturing Dam in Monson.

The project, which has resulted in a free-flowing Chicopee Brook, is now in its planting and ecological restoration phase.

This effort represents one of the region’s most significant river-restoration milestones this year. The ongoing work aims to improve flood resilience, water quality and wildlife habitat in the area. It also reduces long-term public safety risks while strengthening climate resilience for the community.

Following the completion of construction, residents can now observe a restored, free-flowing Chicopee Brook. This is where the 170-year-old dam had stood for generations, allowing the brook to run unimpeded.

The area that once comprised the dam’s impoundment, covering 14 acres, is actively transitioning. This space is becoming new wetlands and native habitat, fostering a more natural ecosystem.

Beyond ecological benefits, the dam removal project addresses critical community concerns. It reduces long-term public safety risks and strengthens the overall climate resilience of the Monson area.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WWLP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WWLP staff before being published.