Wilderness fishing with an eight month old knee!
The first week of June, 2017 my husband Paul and I flew 400 miles from Fairbanks to Iliamna, Alaska. There are no roads to the small village, nestled on the shore of our largest lake.
I had been working diligently at my physical therapy and adding on more exercise as soon as it was feasible. I did not want to miss out on this trip or the one to New Zealand we took in February. Even at just over four months, my mobility had returned and I enjoyed touring, performing, and exploring in that amazing country. My right knee was replaced by Dr. Windsor on Sept. 26, 2016. Since then my activity level has almost returned to that of more than 8 years ago when a fall began a series of increasing problems with that knee joint.
When we arrived at the village, we were greeted by the owners of a lodge that caters to tourists from the lower 48 states and around the world. We had met them in Fairbanks and asked if they would provide transportation to a good fishing spot near the lake. Since we are long time Alaskans and are both well trained and experienced in the outdoors, they agreed. We proceeded by boat 40 minutes further away from civilization, where we would not see another person for five days.
This trip could not be called a comfortable excursion, but I would call it thrilling. I was not hindered by my total knee replacement. Rather, the knee performed even better than I had imagined.
It was exciting, beautiful, and awe inspiring to be out enjoying our Alaska wilderness and I look forward to many more such experiences.
I will always be grateful to my veterinarian husband for never settling for second best when it comes to health care for his family, and for the loving home care he provided as I healed. I am grateful to the staff at HSS for making my experience comfortable, easy to navigate, and for keeping me well informed in the process. And most important, I am grateful to Dr. Windsor for being so thorough in answering all my questions before I even thought to ask them, for always being relaxed and pleasant and calming, and especially, for his amazing skill.
Nancy Frith
All by Physician