Four Months After Surgery

Just a short update here at four months post surgery.

I saw Dr. Denzin on March 21. He continues to be pleased with my progress. My knee bend was 110 degrees at the appointment. He wants to see me for the next follow-up visit this December--one year from the surgery.

I am doing all normal activities now including walking long distances. On a long weekend recently, Margaret and I went to Grand Haven where there is a boardwalk along the river extending out to a pier along Lake Michigan. We walked the entire boardwalk, about 2.5 miles round trip from the Snug Harbor restaurant to the light house. My leg was absolutely fine, no pain or discomfort at all. I am also walking about the U-M campus without concern. Recently, I walked from LSA to the Palmer Commons twice in the same day without issue. At home, I am power walking two miles with our dog Buddy without any pain. Amazingly, I do not feel the need to sit down and rest my leg after walking. Before surgery, I had to rest my leg after long walks due to the arthritis pain in the knee. That is all gone now!

I am also walking up/down steps normally, even walking up/down steps two at a time to work the quadricep muscle a bit more.

In late May, I will be taking a plane to Chicago. This will be my first flight since the surgery. I will have to go through a pat-down since my knee prosthesis will set off the security alarm when passing through the conventional metal detectors. It will also be interesting to see how well my "knee bends" sitting in the cramped airplane seating in coach.