Judy is not one to slow down, but the pain in her knees was making navigating her home and Pittsburgh neighborhood unbearable, and making traveling the world impossible. After deciding it was time to seek help, she made an appointment with Dr. Tony DiGioia at the Bone and Joint Center.
Judy was nervous and not sure if she wanted to have a total knee replacement (TKR). “You hear good and bad stories and you don’t know what to trust.” During her new patient appointment at the Bone and Joint Center, Dr. Tony DiGioia and his team did a full evaluation of Judy, with x-rays and a comprehensive assessment of how her pain was impacting her life. Although Judy was a candidate for a knee replacement, her care team recognized that she wanted to try more conservative treatments first. With their help, Judy decided to try joint injections to see if her pain would be relieved enough to return to the life she wanted to live.
The injections were helping a bit, but by the time October rolled around, Judy was ready for her surgery. As expected, Judy was nervous the day of her surgery. She was especially nervous about her recovery. These fears were calmed quickly by the Bone and Joint Center care teams. They were with her every step of the way, started her surgery on time at 8:00 AM, and by dinner time, Judy got up and moved around her room. By the next morning, Judy was able to walk herself to physical therapy. After an intense PT session of bending her new knee, using the exercise bike, and going up and down stairs, Judy was able to walk comfortably back to her room. This was a great accomplishment for her.
Six months after her first surgery, Judy had her other knee replaced. Fourteen months after that second TKR, she was able to take her dream trip to Shanghai, China. “I couldn’t help but think, ‘Wow - I postponed this trip multiple times because of the pain I was in. And here I am now, walking the city for hours with ease.’ I could never have done this before my surgery.”
If you’re considering joint replacement surgery but are feeling a bit apprehensive, Judy offers two questions to ask yourself, “How much is my world shrinking? What am I doing less of or giving up because of pain or reduced mobility?” Additionally, Judy’s advice for TKR patients is, “Get evaluated. Talk to your team about the things you want to do and the things that worry you. They will help you make the right decision. Then start doing those pre-op exercises because the stronger you are going in, the better your recovery will be.”
