"I named them 'Rosie Righty' and 'Lola Lefty,'" Linda Winger said of her arthritic knees. "And Lola is aptly named. If you are familiar with the song, Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets, you'll know exactly why." The Broadway show "Damn Yankees" features a character named Lola, who is determined to achieve her goals by any means necessary, regardless of the consequences.
Meet Linda
At 84 years old, Linda isn't one to sit idle. She and her husband, Jim, have spent decades playing bluegrass music–Linda on the mandolin and Jim on the guitar–while coordinating music festivals with the Northern Indiana Bluegrass Association. When they’re not jamming, they stay active, hitting the gym most mornings throughout the week. However, as her arthritis progressed, Linda knew knee replacement surgery was on the horizon.
"My overall health is good. I had two hips replaced a while back, and I have known about the knees for a long time. It's taken a couple of years for me to finally call the orthopedic surgeon and get an appointment with him." she said. While Linda considers her left knee the typical "troublemaker," it was the right one that ultimately forced her to take action after an energetic session on the treadmill.
One down
In February 2024, Linda had knee replacement surgery on her right knee. "It was overall not a bad experience. It hurt some, but I had great support. Everyone at the orthopedic hospital was very attentive," Linda said. Two days later, Linda started her recovery with Parkview Therapy Services Southwest, where she met Crystal Bourcier, DPT, Rehab Therapy Supervisor and Mike Sands, PTA.
"I call Mike and Crystal my heroes," she said. "I actually looked forward to each session because we’d have fun, and we'd laugh. Crystal would high-five me when I’d attain a new level."
In addition to their easygoing nature, Linda appreciated the therapists' attention to detail and tailored approach. "They knew what I could do and motivated me to keep pushing myself a little bit more, and it worked," she said.
Postoperative physical therapy for knee replacement typically focuses on regaining the knee's range of motion. Patients often attend these sessions two to three times per week for six to ten weeks, depending on their progress and the care team's recommendations.
Only two weeks into physical therapy, Linda was back in the gym on days she didn’t have therapy. After four weeks total, Linda passed her final evaluation and completed her formal rehabilitation.
One to go
Knowing that it was only a matter of time before "Lola" would demand the same treatment, Linda promptly scheduled the second procedure. However, the stakes were much higher this time, and the timeline was tight.
"The second surgery was scheduled for June after the Tri-State Bluegrass Memorial Weekend Festival was over. I was going to my granddaughter's wedding in August, so I needed those weeks to recover."
When Linda's granddaughter Alexis called to ensure she and Jim could attend her wedding in upper New York, she made two requests. The first was to borrow one of Linda's dresses she'd worn to a dinner dance, and the second was for her grandparents to perform during the ceremony. Neither of which Linda could refuse.
She wanted to make sure she had her previous champions by her side, so as soon as Linda had the date for her surgery, she contacted Therapy Services to ensure Crystal and Mike were up to the task.
"I told Mike he had six weeks to get me into shape because I was going to New York!" Linda said. "Come hell or high water, pain or no pain, I planned to be there to watch my granddaughter walk down the aisle wearing my dress."
Her care team took that challenge to heart and developed a plan to get Linda where she needed to be safely—and, of course, have a little fun along the way.
"Mike would joke with me and say that I was walking like a pirate because I was swinging my leg out because it hurt, and I couldn't bend the knee," Linda laughed. "He would call me out on it so often; I would leave the session saying, 'bend the knee, don't swing the leg'. It helped me to remember that when I went home, I had to try to walk properly."
Once again, after four weeks of working with Crystal and Mike, Linda was ready for the trip east in August. "It was a great time. During the ceremony, I played the mandolin, Jim was on the guitar, and we played happy, jaunty fiddle tunes for the guests," Linda said. "The thought of missing out on that experience really made it so that I had to work to make sure that I could get there.
Closing remarks
Now, just over a year after her first surgery and several months post-op from the second, Linda continues to regain strength and stay active. She credits her recovery to the exceptional care she received and her commitment to staying active.
For those considering the procedure, she suggests: "If you want to get anywhere close to where you should be, you need to do your exercises before and after surgery. Linda advised. "PT gave me the tools, but it was up to me to keep going."
If you have questions or want to learn more about Therapy Services at Parkview Health, visit us here.
