My Comeback Story: Alan V.

As a retired farmer from SW Minnesota, I was experiencing knee pain from arthritis and from working on our family farm. My wife Cindy and I had purchased a condo on the Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, FL. In recent years, we have "migrated" to the panhandle of Florida to get away from the harsh Minnesota winters. We enjoyed golf, pickleball, bike-riding, and long walks on the beautiful beaches of NW Florida. Recently, the pain in my knees didn't allow me to continue the exercise that I used to enjoy.

In February of 2025, I made an appointment with Dr. Jake Hawkins at Orthopaedic Associates, and he gave me a cortisone injection to lessen the pain. Later that year, I returned to Miramar and made another appointment for knee replacement surgery, in early November, with Dr. Hawkins. All went well, and eight weeks later, Dr. Hawkins replaced my second knee! I was fortunate to have both surgeries early in the morning, so by early afternoon I walked out of the hospital (with the aid of a walker) and returned to our condo!

Dr. Hawkins paired me up with physical therapy, and after several weeks I was feeling great! One of the main reasons I chose Dr. Hawkins is that he performs quadriceps-sparing surgery, which allows for a quicker recovery! I am back to what I would call normal, some 8 months after surgery, with a much better "quality of life"! Thank you, Dr. Hawkins, and of course my wife Cindy, for her constant care.