Chris Kuester 2019
The saying goes, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Chris will echo that saying louder than anyone after enduring 16 weeks of physical therapy following bilateral total knee replacements and shoulder impingement syndrome. Prior to surgery, Chris suffered through occasional knee joint pain which gradually turned into 10+ years of constant, debilitating pain. He consulted with an orthopedic surgeon and was not surprised to leave the office with both knees scheduled for joint replacement surgery. Chris has never been one to shy away from a challenge. These surgeries and their recoveries were no different!
In October of 2018, Chris underwent a right total knee replacement. He remained in the hospital for three days before returning home with his family. He felt that time spent recovering in the hospital was much needed saying, “The third day made a huge difference. I was happy I stayed a little longer.” Chris’ family was very supportive upon his return home, though did not allow him to recover without teasing him and calling him a “whiner” now and again.
Chris wasted no time initiating outpatient physical therapy three times a week. On the first day of therapy, he tried to rid himself of his walker. By week two, Chris thought he was feeling good enough to climb up and work on scaffolding. His therapist quickly dismissed these ideas, though Chris recalls the conversation had at his next physical therapy appointment a little differently saying, “I got a little chewed out!” After 7 weeks of rehabilitation and a little positive reinforcement from his therapy team, Chris had met his goals and it was time for Chris to have his left knee replaced.
In December of 2018, Chris underwent his second surgery. This time, his surgeon utilized a technique to freeze his sensory nerves in attempt to ease the post-operative pain. He, again, stayed at the hospital for three days before returning home and back to physical therapy. He recalls staying motivated with “knowing I would walk normal again.” While rehabilitation progressed as expected in regards to the knees, Chris experienced onset of shoulder impingement syndrome. His treatment sessions became lengthy, challenging, and quite extensive in order to address all areas. Despite, Chris never lost his motivation and drive to be successful and return to a level of function beyond what was expected. When it came time for his last therapy session, Chris serenaded the entire rehabilitation department, staff and patients included, with a karaoke performance of Patience by Guns N’ Roses!
Chris would advise others, “Don’t wait. It’s important to do what you need to do!” Chris was a thrill to have in the rehab gym. We applaud him for his hard work and fantastic karaoke performances! He closes exclaiming, “I want to live now!”
