She spent years caring for me.
Then it was my turn.

From Maine to Austin

A second opinion changed our plans.

Mom lives in a small town in rural Maine and had planned to have her knee surgery close to home. Her surgeon wanted to operate on both knees within two weeks of each other. That felt too close together for us, and when she asked for more time between procedures, he was not willing to change the schedule.

Then came a chance conversation with a coworker in Austin. They had been through knee surgery and spoke highly of Dr. Dodgin, whom they had seen for care before surgery. Call it coincidence or divine timing, but it gave us another option to consider.

I asked Mom if she would meet with him. She agreed to a consultation to appease me, but made one thing very clear: she was not having surgery in Texas.

One meeting with Dr. Dodgin at Orthopaedic Specialists of Austin (opens in a new tab) changed her mind.

A small space, a new plan

Recovery came home with us.

The next question was where Mom would recover. With my tiny studio apartment in mind, we had planned for her to go to inpatient rehab after surgery. But because she had no additional medical conditions that would support that recommendation, her healthcare team could not recommend inpatient rehab for her.

So we adjusted. Her recovery took place at home with me. I worked my graphic design job remotely while helping Mom with her day-to-day needs and working alongside the home health specialists who came to care for her.

Our plans had changed, but the reason behind them had not. I wanted to help my mom feel cared for and supported, just as she had always done for me.

Why we created Knee Recovery 101

Passing along what helped us.

We were fortunate to receive practical, thorough guidance from Mom’s surgeon and the hospital where she had her surgery. It helped us prepare, understand what was ahead, and manage recovery day by day.

As we talked with family and friends who had been through knee surgery, we realized that many had not received the same level of guidance. They were left trying to piece together answers to questions we had been helped to think through.

That is where the idea for Knee Recovery 101 began. We wanted to share what we learned, the items we used, and the everyday details that can make recovery feel a little less overwhelming for patients and the people caring for them.

Our hope is that something here helps you feel more prepared, ask a useful question, or find a little reassurance along the way.

With care,
Sara