Susan’s Story: On the Move After Double Knee Replacement Surgery

As a registered nurse working in the busy medical-surgical unit of a hospital, mother of four, and grandmother of nine, Susan Rednour leads an active life. When she’s not caring for patients or enjoying time with her family, Susan is outdoors maintaining the property she owns in the country. But severe arthritis pain in both knees began slowing her down, and she found herself struggling to complete daily tasks. As the pain in her knees became increasingly debilitating, she began to wonder whether she would ever regain her quality of life.

Living with Chronic Pain

Susan initially sought conservative treatment at the hospital where she works. The intensity of the pain, however, began further impacting daily life, and her body was no longer receptive to the steroid and gel injection treatments she was receiving.

In constant pain, Susan felt unable to keep up with the requirements of her demanding job, activities with her grandchildren, and the maintenance of her property.

“It hurt to get out of bed,” she explained. “It hurt when I walked. I could barely do stairs. I live out in the country, and I have property. I’m used to taking care of the property—mowing, picking up sticks, and gardening. I couldn’t do it anymore.”

The debilitating extent of the pain went beyond physical. Missing out on opportunities professionally and personally while becoming increasingly reliant on others to complete routine tasks was demoralizing.

“I had to have my kids help me out more and more,” she recalled. “And walking at work was getting very painful. I would have to sit down between patients’ rooms just to rest my knees…I didn’t even want to get up on my days off. I just wanted to sit there and not get up and move because it hurt so bad.”

Imaging revealed advanced osteoarthritis in both knees, leaving total knee replacement as the best long-term solution after conservative treatments no longer provided relief.

Taking the First Step Toward Relief

Susan turned to OrthoIllinois because the total joint replacement doctors have a reputation for being the best in the area. She was also personally familiar with OrthoIllinois due to her previous positive experience with Dr. Brian Bear for carpal tunnel surgery and as her daughter’s place of employment.

“It seems like OrthoIllinois is the best in the area,” observed Susan. “And I had a good experience with Dr. Bear, so I decided to come back for my knees.”

Susan met with advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), Ted Peterson, who played a vital role in her road to recovery.

“He was very knowledgeable, very kind, very caring, very relatable,” she shared.

Peterson carefully explained the treatment plan, insurance requirements, and weight-loss goals Susan needed to meet before surgery. Throughout each step of the process, she felt informed, encouraged, and supported.

“They gave me the incentive to lose the weight,” she remarked. “Knowing that I could have the surgery, and I could feel better; that’s a big motivation there. And they were willing to work with me…we talked it all out, and they gave me goals to meet.”

To help manage the pain while preparing for surgery on her right knee, Peterson administered a steroid injection.

“That helped me to make it through the next three months,” she noted. “It gave me more energy so that I could get up and move around without pain and be more active.”

Navigating Surgery

Before surgery, Susan worried about whether the procedure would be worthwhile. After years of seeing surgical outcomes as a nurse, she understood that every recovery was different. The expertise, guidance, and support she received from her OrthoIllinois care team affirmed her decision and helped her feel prepared for surgery.
Her outpatient knee replacement was performed by Dr. John Bottros at the OrthoMidwest Surgery Center in Beloit, Wisconsin. Encouraged to stand and walk shortly after surgery, she received advice from Dr. Bottros that shaped her recovery: “Trust it,” he told her about her new knee. Keeping those words in mind, she stayed active while carefully following her post-operative care instructions.

Before being discharged, Dr. Bottros gave Susan his cell phone number so she could easily reach out to him if needed.

“That was very comforting to know that if I had any concerns, I could call right to him and not have to go through a whole bunch of people to try to get a hold of him,” she remembered.

Any discomfort experienced during the recovery process was manageable because it was minimal compared to the pain she was experiencing before.

“The surgical pain and everything afterwards was nothing,” she stated. “It was a breeze because it was so painful before.”

Going through the process again for her left knee was a no-brainer. Susan knew what to expect and was confident in the care she would receive at OrthoIllinois. Additionally, the team worked closely with Susan to coordinate each surgery around her work schedule and leave benefits, helping reduce financial stress during recovery.

Reclaiming a Pain-Free, Active Lifestyle

Now on the other side of both knee replacements, Susan has found relief from a pain she didn’t realize she had been carrying for so long.

“I realized after the surgery, [the pain] was mentally exhausting me as well,” she shared. “Like my whole life has turned around 100% because I got my knees done.”

Looking back, Susan wishes she had sought out treatment sooner and urges others to do the same. Today, she’s making the most of her regained mobility and making up for lost time. No longer sitting on the sidelines, Susan has the energy and ability to partake in more activities than before. She is now able to keep up with the inflow of patients at work, take care of her property independently, and say yes to every dance party with her grandchildren.

“Having my knees done, I feel like it’s given me my life back because I take care of my property now,” she explained. “I mow. I pick up sticks. I do gardening. I get to take my grandkids places because I can keep up with them now…And I have a lot more energy. I just feel like I got my life back from having my knees done.”