After living with knee pain that took a physical and mental toll on her for years, Kathy finally feels like herself again.
In April 2024, a month after her 65th birthday, Kathy had a total knee replacement performed by Bradley F. Giannotti, MD. Five months after her surgery, she is back to giving people “110% Kathy.”
Living with the Pain
Kathy, active real-estate agent known for her large personality, dealt with pain in her left knee for years, but the pain worsened significantly over the past two years. She could not do what she loved at work or with her family.
“I used to walk a 100-acre parcel of land three or four years ago,” says the Bradford, Pa. resident. “Even though it hurt, I was still able to do it.”
But for the past couple of years, the pain was so severe that Kathy struggled to stick with her active lifestyle.
“I do real estate, so my legs are very important,” she says. “What started out as an annoyance turned into a major inconvenience.”
Kathy tried other treatments, including steroid shots. But those treatments didn’t feel like a long-term solution.
“I tried cortisone, but I didn’t feel like that took care of the problem,” she says. “It wasn’t something I could count on to continue my lifestyle.”
North Central Pa Ortho
Exploring a Long-Term Solution
Kathy realized the pain had not only hurt her physically but had impacted her mental state. She felt like her life revolved around the pain.
“I like to make people feel better, and I felt like I was bringing them down,” she says. “It felt almost like I was lying. I put on a brave face, and I was being dishonest about the way I was feeling.”
“It’s a public but private pain,” she adds. “Public in that people can see the physical part of the struggle. The private part is losing your self-esteem because of what you can’t do.”
Kathy’s pain became so bad she gave up a trip to Mexico because she wasn’t able to walk comfortably.
“You realize the pain affects the people around you, your family,” Kathy says. “You go to work and come home and nothing else because mentally, you’re so focused on the pain. You’re not yourself.”
She decided to see Dr. Giannotti about the total knee replacement. She was immediately put at ease by the personal nature of her care team, which also included Chad Jackson, PA-C.
“Number one, they listened and understood my lifestyle,” Kathy says. “They didn’t try to push anything on me but educated me on myself and my needs. That meant a lot throughout.”
The Surgery Experience
The team scheduled her procedure quickly. Kathy’s first visit was on March 3rd, and her surgery was on the books for April 2nd.
“Once the surgery was scheduled, I already felt like it lifted me,” she says. “I finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Kathy had “zero fear” of the procedure and looked forward to the recovery.
“I had good support from the people around me,” she says. “Since the day I found out I could get it done, I did not look back.”
She had only one request before the surgery, she says. “I just said, ‘Would you please make sure my scar is pretty?'”
Trust in the Recovery Process
After the replacement surgery, Kathy was eager to throw herself into the recovery process.
“Everyone was worried that I would try to do too much too fast,” she says.
The physical therapy process wasn’t easy for Kathy, but her view on recovery helped her push through.
“People have to have the outlook that the physical therapy is going to come with soreness,” she says. “But there’s a difference between pain (before the surgery) and the soreness of healing.”
A little more than two weeks after her procedure, Kathy walked around the room at the physical therapy center without a walker. While it was intimidating, she trusted her care team.
“There’s an insecurity, but you have to have trust,” she says. “I trusted that the PT knew more than I did and knew my limits and what I was capable of doing.”
Kathy’s recovery wasn’t linear. There were ups and downs, but she continued to push forward.
“The healing blends together,” she says. “I would have a day where I felt good, but then question myself for five days after. It was a matter of just having the patience to know the healing has its own course.”
Feeling Like Herself Again
About three months post-surgery, Kathy started to feel like her old self.
“People around me were seeing me heal,” she says. “I started getting my mental state back. You’re so cautious when you have pain, even cautious after the surgery. But I actually started to feel like myself again. The focus wasn’t on the pain or soreness.”
Kathy’s focus is now back on her family and her career.
“I’m not sitting here saying post-surgery is fun, but it’s the first step to getting your life back,” she says. “In general, I have that spark back in my world.”
In retrospect, Kathy realizes how important the surgery was to those closest to her.
“Now that I’m on the other side of the fence, I realize how much my condition was affecting the people around me,” she adds. “You say no to a lot when you’re in pain.”
Now, Kathy is going on walks around the park, she says. “I wear shorts on my walks and show off my pretty scar. I am so thankful I had it done.”
Sources
https://providers.upmc.com/provider/bradley-f-giannotti/1323168#profile-expertise
https://providers.upmc.com/provider/chad-t-jackson/1369242