Knee replacement / Hiking - Backpacking -Bikepacking

     Forty five minutes is not a long time to run, but that was all that I could fit into my daily lunch break.  I had been running at lunch for y ears while I trained for my next next big  adventure. Up until this time I had been satisfied with running shorter races, but now I wanted a bigger challenge.  The marathon and ultramarathon seemed more to my liking. The longer the distance, the more I got excited.  This one year I had finished three marathons and three ultramarathons. My longest race was fifty miles.  That is when Runner Magazine published an article on running the Southern States one Hundred Mile Race, and I just knew I had to step up and meet the challenge. My training running milage had to be increased to meet my completion goal. In order to train for that race I had to run during all my free time. To help me build up my stamina I also ran during my work lunch break. 
       One day while running on my break my knee locked up, and I had a hard time bending it. That day I consulted with a sports medicine doctor to try and figure what was happening. The doctor informed me that through years of running I had managed to destroy most of the cartilage in both knees. He recommend that I see an orthopedic surgeon. I did exactly that, and the surgeon told me that I had enough cartilage left that I could have a operation to shorten one of my bones in both legs. This would create a gap in my knee to allow enough cushion to run again. Of course I said “Yes,” and scheduled the operations in Bothe knees. I asked the surgeon if there would be any side effects. He said I would walk bow- legged. After several weeks passed I asked myself, "Do I really want to walk bow-legged the rest of my life The next day I cancelled the operations and made an appointment with another surgeon?"
      The next surgeon suggested a partial knee replacement that had a life expectancy of ten to fifteen years. Still not satisfied I notice that US Olympic Gold Medalist Mary Lou Retton’s doctor had an office in town. I made an appointment with him. He said, "I have good news and bad news for you. The good news is that I can implant cow cartilage in each knee and you will be perfect, but the bad news is that your insurance will not cover the operation because it is still considered experimental. In 1980 the cost was $50,000 a knee. He said that I can opt to do nothing until I can no longer endure the pain, and then have a total knee replacement.  I opted to do nothing, and for the next forty five years I continued to run, bicycle and backpack. The pain increased and because of my hurting legs I always seemed to be five minutes behind all my friends in sports. I had had enough, and several years later I scheduled a double knee replacement.
    The surgeon told me the earliest he could do the operation was in July.  I, along with my other bike packing friends, decided we could do a long bike packing trip in April just before the July scheduled operation. We planned the trip on the New River Park Rails to Trails path. We made all of the reservations and trip preparations. A week later the surgeon called and said that an earlier operation slot had opened, and I could have that slot.  I cancelled the bike ride and scheduled the earlier operation date. My left knee was operated on April 22, 2024 and my right knee was replaced on July 24, 2024.
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The dark areas are the cobalt knee replacements.

Staples were used to close the wound.

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A long waterproof bandage was used to cover the wound during healing.
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Surgical pliers were used to take out the staples after healing.
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 Butterfly adhesive strips were used after the staples were removed.
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A compression bandage was applied to reduce swelling.

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Cold and heat packs were used to promote healing and reduce swelling.

After healing, a scar reducing and skin softening creme was applied.
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Three months of rehab with the help of a physical therapist and an exercise table completed the healing process.
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In summary: My knees are healed, and I do not have any pain walking, backpacking, or riding a bicycle. I cannot put pressure on my knee caps. Kneeling on the ground is painful. Tent camping is out of the question, but I can hammock camp. Therefore, I can go hiking,  backpacking and bicycle packing. Running long distances are a distant memory, and it is no longer an option.  But I am grateful to God for what I am able to do without pain because of my new knees.  
Isaiah 40:31. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
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