New Knee Helps Man with Higher Calling
Keep in mind that your results may differ from those shown in this section. Your results will depend upon your personal circumstances. Please discuss your situation with your doctor if you are thinking about bone or joint surgery.
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Perhaps David’s decision to move forward with total knee replacement
came from a higher calling -- the pain in his knees had gotten so bad
that he could no longer kneel during Mass. David suffered from severe posttraumatic arthritis that began over 30 years ago with an injury suffered while playing military softball. Through the years the pain got progressively worse to the point where he couldn’t climb stairs or stand for long periods of time. Twenty-five years in the housekeeping business doing strenuous labor didn’t help matters any. |
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X-rays of his knees revealed that most of his cartilage had worn away,
leaving bone grinding against bone. His doctor gave him an ultimatum: total
knee replacement or possible eventual confinement to a wheelchair.
“I
had shied away from knee replacement because of concerns that it wouldn’t
last. But my doctor explained that with the new technology used nowadays,
chances are that my knee implant would last a long time,” said David.
David receive a Natural-Knee implant and was up and walking under his doctor's
supervision the day after surgery. He said the hardest part was the physical
therapy during the weeks following surgery. “They made it hard on me, but it
had to be done,” he said. “Before the operation I could only bend my knee 80
degrees – now I can bend it 135 degrees.”
David is
thrilled with the results. “I wish I had done this 10 years ago. I would
urge anyone having problems to see an orthopedic surgeon. The doctor will
help you decide what’s best for you. Don’t wait until the pain gets so bad
that you can’t stand it.”
David was back at his job 6
weeks after surgery. He looks forward to retirement next year and possibly
taking up bowling again. And perhaps most rewarding – he can kneel during
Mass.
