Nine weeks after double knee replacement surgery, Pat Calhoon walking three miles a day
SARASOTA - Just before an anesthesiologist’s “happy juice,” as Pat Calhoon called it, put him in sleepy land, Sarasota County’s former do-everything sports dude had a quip ready for his surgeon, Dr. Sean Dingle.
“I said, ‘I buy one and get one?’” the 67-year-old Calhoon said. “‘Is this a BOGO day for me?’’’
Dingle laughed. “Yeah, you’re going to get two for one,” he replied.
Chicago Cubs great Ernie Banks used to say, “Let’s play two.” In Calhoon’s case, it was more like, “Let’s replace two.”
In his 22-year role as the County’s sports facilities director, Pat Calhoon was the bee’s knees.
His own knees were not.
Years as a catcher, even at age 40 for the Hooters national baseball team, had taken their toll. Years of walking an average of 25,000 steps a day in and around Ed Smith Stadium during spring training had taken their toll.
Twelve years ago, at 55, Calhoon was told by doctors he would need both knees replaced. Walking had replaced running, and before long, even walking became a chore.
A couple of procedures bought Calhoon a few years, but once retired, he knew it was time. “The doctor said to go as long as you can,” he said. For Calhoon, can had become couldn’t.
Time for surgery had arrived
Exit stage left: After 43 years of wearing many hats, Pat Calhoon hangs all of them up
He had waited this long, but now that the time for surgery had arrived, Calhoon wanted a one and done.
Actually, two.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, of the more than 700,000 patients who undergo knee replacement each year, only between 3% and 6.5% have bilateral surgery, with both knees done simultaneously.
Studies have shown that double knee replacement carries with it a greater risk of complications, including cardiovascular issues and blood clots. Patients face greater challenges in their recovery and rehabilitation, and a bilateral procedure forces them into a rehab facility following surgery.
“I wasn’t going to go through this twice,” Calhoon said. “I was going to reduce my chances of infection by 50%. The other part is that so many people who have this done, once they realize what a challenge it is, they won’t go through a second one because it was such a challenge.”
Calhoon said Dr. Dingle performs 20 knee replacements a week, “and only one is bi-lateral.” But because Calhoon was both healthy and a former athlete, someone who would be familiar with the rehab process, Dingle agreed to do both.
Nine weeks ago, Calhoon was pumped with the happy juice. He came through surgery splendidly, though the post-procedure pain brought on three sleepless nights. He remembered Dr. Dingle telling him the surgery itself was merely one-third of the process.
'Consistent and persistent rehab'
“You have to do the other two-thirds with therapy,” Calhoon said. “Consistent and persistent rehab.” Just before the surgery, he was ruled at 47% disability. Four weeks after it, he was at 32%. And following eight weeks, with the goal of being somewhere under 20%, Calhoon checked in at 12%.
He endured three rehab assignments daily, each lasting an hour. Knee bends, leg raises, leg extensions, learning to walk again heel to toe, Calhoon worked with three different therapists, each repeating what the previous one had done.
“Did I feel like doing that?” Calhoon said. “Hell freaking no. But I did, and I think that’s the reason I recovered so quickly.” But the sessions were grueling, so much so that the therapists had to remind Calhoon to breathe while doing the exercises.
He was told it’ll be three to six months before he’s 100%. His visits with a therapist over, Calhoon performs those same exercises at home. Even with new knees, he won’t be running anymore, but Dr. Dingle told Calhoon he could begin playing golf in two to four months.
That’ll be a bit more fun than his daily three-mile walk. And when you get two new knees, the small things stand out. Like navigating stairs.
“I went to see my skin doctor,” Calhoon said, “and I went up a couple of flights of stairs without touching the railing. It’s been five years since I did that.”
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Nine weeks after bilateral knee replacement, Pat Calhoon doing well
