In July 2020, I was scheduled to have total knee replacement surgery which was delayed because medical staff were dealing with Covid-19 issues and limited hospital surgical and room accessibilities for new patients. As a result, my surgery was rescheduled for October 12th which provided an opportunity for me to meet and talk to patients who had total knee replacement a month or more earlier. When I asked how painful his/her recovery was, or what could I expect? I always got the same response, “The surgery and rehab wasn’t that bad, but you will have to deal with a little pain like most surgical procedures”.

As a result, of my own total knee replacement surgery, rehab experiences and ongoing recovery. I always said, “If given an opportunity to talk to future patients, who might be facing this same surgical procedure; I would always be honest with my response to others, because I want future patients to have an opportunity to mentally and physically prepare for healing challenges that lays before him/her daily.

So I will start by saying, “Total Knee Replacement” is extremely painful. Further, you are expected to stand on your newly surgical leg as well as your non-surgical leg from your bed to a walker with assistance from your therapist. This is one of your regular training routines and will occur one to three times a day as you learn to transition from your bed to a wheelchair as well. Eventually advancing to a cane and walking at your own pace followed by your therapist pushing your wheelchair for rest periods as needed.

In addition to leg mobility, balancing and strengthening exercises you will perform total body exercises such as arm lifts and pulleys, (hand & feet) pedaling, barbells, eye, and hand coordination, walking up and down stairs, getting in and out of a vehicle, group games, safe transition in and out of showers and more.

I must confess, every time a PT or OT staff member came to transport me to the gym, I begin to cry. In the past from January 01, 1993, to March 29, 2017, I was a gym rat, who spent two-hours a day (Monday thru Friday) in the gym and Saturday evenings in the pool, as well as swim drills as a member of a senior swim team until open heart surgery and a mitral valve repair benched me in March. I had slowly begin to work my way back to the gym which was a very slow grueling process until my routine came to a shattering halt due to Corvid-19.

I want you to know in advance and accept this fact. It does not matter had great you were as an athlete and/or how fit and easy everything you tackled in the past was to achieve; trying to rebuild and live an active lifestyle after unexpected medical surgeries and/or illnesses knocks you off your feet. A return to your past active level is going to be hard. You might not ever be able to achieve your past level of activities, but you might be able to come pretty dam close or might not. However, once you recognize this possibility and begin your slow progress to achieve some level of independency and mindful achievements – your mind and body will accept your desire and allow you to accomplish this goal at a new achievement level based on your new physical capabilities.

As I stated earlier, my total knee replacement surgery took place October 12, 2020. I was transferred to a medical rehab center on October 14th where I remained until I was released to go home on November 3rd. The next morning and until I left Sioux Falls on December 21, I was monitored by a nurse and preformed PT and OT every other day with two therapists. The day I left SD I ran into a blizzard. It took five days of driving for me to reach my Quartzsite, AZ destination. The end results was a swollen right leg and black knee which took two weeks to go down. It was the love and support from my no-mad friends that helped me heal.

The hardest thing for me was to accept my new norm because I loved my old physical level of accomplishments as well as my lifestyle of independence. Now, it takes a little longer for me to reach my physical goals. I might not reach them as easily or quickly as in the past, but I still reach them and there is great satisfaction whenever these goals are reached.

My mindset and new saying is this: “Everything is doable when you have a plan to reach a goal.”