Grateful for the Grind--Knee Replacement and the Privilege of Access
After months of grinding bone-on-bone pain, I’m beginning the process for scheduling (and receiving) a knee replacement.
Anyone who has lived with severe osteoarthritis or joint degeneration understands the relentless ache that becomes part of daily life. It's not just the pain when you walk or climb stairs. It’s the stiffness when you wake up, the cautious movements to avoid sharp jolts, the way your body subconsciously adapts to protect what’s worn out. In my case, the cartilage is gone. Bone meets bone with every step, and the message from my body is clear: time’s up.
As I prepare for all of this, I’ve been thinking not just about my personal recovery, but about how incredibly fortunate I am to even have this option. I really first realize this amazing fortune, for which I did nothing other than be born here in the U.S., when my son was 8-days old and should have not seen his 9th day… and having access here in Omaha to amazing specialists and facilities that still affect our lives today because he is here, each day.
In the U.S., a knee replacement is a routine procedure. My diagnosis led to imaging, a specialist referral, a coming surgery, and a treatment plan for recovery—efficient and comprehensive. I’ll have access to anesthesia, trained orthopedic surgeons, post-op physical therapy, and a safe recovery setting. And I’m not an outlier. Over 800,000 knee replacements are done each year in the U.S.
Now contrast that with many low-income countries—take Malawi, for example, a country of 20 million people with only a handful of orthopedic surgeons. In most cases, joint replacement simply isn’t an option. Waiting times are measured not in weeks but years, if surgery is available at all. Patients may endure a decade or more of disabling pain without recourse. Even when surgery is technically possible, the scarcity of trained personnel, surgical equipment, and rehab support can severely limit outcomes.
According to the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, 5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe and affordable surgical care when needed. It’s a staggering statistic—and one that puts my own situation in perspective. Here, a failing knee means a few months of inconvenience. In other parts of the world, it can mean lifelong disability.
So, while I may groan when I get out of bed or limp after a long day, I also recognize how lucky I am to have pain that comes with a solution. Recovery won’t be fun—but it will be possible. And that, in the grand scheme of global health, is a privilege not to be taken lightly.
