Entry 1, Some Background Information

Hi, I have decided to share this experience with whomever might find it interesting or helpful. I have been searching the Internet for information about my upcoming surgery with limited success, and thought this may be a good way to chronicle the process of getting bilateral total knee replacements. Firstly, I have been an active person all of my life. I am a 56 year old female and my life has been full of physical activities. Born and raised on a cattle farm in Alberta, Canada, I have ridden horses since I was 3 years old. I helped raise cattle and horses on my parents farm but moved to the city to earn a living when I graduated from school. I was a cross-country and downhill skier, did a lot of backpacking in the Rockies and loved to dance. Later on I became a fitness instructor and did a great deal of cycling, scuba diving and sailing. Ten years ago my husband and I entered the cattle business again but recently had to sell the herd. We still have our horses and we enjoy golfing, and riding our new motorbikes. During my skiing days, I had a crash at Fortress Mountain in Alberta, and severed my left knee ACL which the doctors brilliantly repaired. But 20 years later the damage to the cartilage is apparent. The right knee took up the slack for the left knee and that proved to be bad for it as well. I had to have my right cartilage removed in 2004. Then in 2006, I was thrown from a young horse when he was spooked when a wild turkey flew up between his legs while riding in one of our fields. My left leg was caught in the stirrup and I got sling-shotted to the ground. I had physiotherapy afterwards to help the pain. So with all this I noticed my legs were starting to look knocked-kneed and the pain was intense. The knees would lock unpredicably and I could feel grinding whenever I tried to do certain yoga and other poses. I knew that I need some help but I had been told, after my surgery in 2004 that although I was a candidate for a new knee, I was too young and the surgeon would not consider it until I was in my 60's. So I was prepared to have pain and discomfort for then next 10 years.