Around the time I turned 50 or so, I began to feel discomfort in my right knee. A year or so later I was experiencing periodic pain in both knees. Over a couple of years my ability to participate in my most enjoyed activities began to be limited by this. Gardening, dancing, and even just taking a pleasant bike ride became too much to bear. I found myself in daily pain due to osteoarthritis in my knees.
Of course, one was worse than the other so I figured I could push through the pain and continue my life. This was anything but correct.
I guess I was not surprised after having been an avid home gardener (moving big rocks/digging big holes) and danced at hundreds of Grateful Dead concerts (which is the equivalent of jumping up & down and doing the twist at the same time) that I was left with the knees of a mogul skier.
I tried everything from cortisone injections to injections of stuff that was supposed to “cushion” my bones where the cartilage no longer existed. Nothing made a difference.
Then my sister, who had also faced knee pain for many years, had her knees replaced by Dr. Mark Figgie. Her recovery and results were so encouraging that I knew there was only one path to follow.
I had been my mom’s companion since my dad passed in 1989 and her primary caregiver until she passed peacefully in 2017 at 85. I had never felt comfortable addressing my knees as I did not want to be away from her. Knowing that me and my 5 sisters would have completed preparing her home for sale, I knew my time would be early the next summer as by this time I was literally hobbled.
I called and spoke with Samantha Taylor at Dr. Figgie’s office. From that first visit, I appreciated that I would be in excellent care and through their sense of “team” knew that all Dr. Figgie’s associates would contribute to the inevitable success of my replacements.
From the pre-op testing through my stay at HSS, I was very impressed at how buttoned-up things are there. During pre-op testing, every office visited had a minimum of 3 hand sanitizing stations in sight and every professional I saw sanitized their hands at least twice during my time with them. The nurses and therapists that tended me there were thorough and patient, truly kind.
Dr. Mark Figgie is a wonderfully talented surgeon and a caring human being. I feel so blessed to have had him as my knee replacement surgeon.
I am now walking, dancing, gardening and enjoying all these activities. Just last weekend I was spinning and dancing freely. What a joy!
Thank you HSS and thank you Dr. Figgie, Samantha and the rest of your team.
You truly rock the knee replacement experience.
All by Physician