“You are the deciding factor for your quality of life.”

Charlene’s Story

What was life like before joint replacement? 
I was in a lot of pain before having my knee replaced. It hurt to sit, stand and walk. I try to walk two miles a day, but I couldn’t even walk a city block. I had to stop walking and riding my bike.

What was the turning point for you?
A statement my doctor made, “You are the deciding factor for your quality of life," kept going through my head. Since I couldn’t even walk a city block, I knew I had to take control, so I moved forward with surgery.

What is life like now?
Life after knee replacement has been refreshing. I know there are things I can’t do yet, but not having constant knee pain, and being able to walk again without cringing or hearing the bone on bone tells me I did the right thing.

What advice do you have for others considering joint replacement?
Don’t second guess yourself if you are in pain and don’t want to give up an active lifestyle. Meet with your doctor. You will wonder why you waited so long. Do your presurgery exercises and prepare your home as instructed. Listen to your physical therapist. It hurts, but in the end, you will glad you worked through the pain. I pushed myself, and that is why my knee bend is 137 degrees—120 was my goal!