I Remember Everything... From a More Painful Time

Every time I get to this point in the ABQ airport, I remember how it was on April 2, 2016.

I was flying to Texas for a left knee total replacement surgery after having been through 3 months of crippling pain from that same knee.

The knee had degraded to the point where walking was incredibly painful but I thought I could make it through the airport without crutches or assistance.

I was wrong.

After exiting security, I got to this point and literally could not put any weight on my left leg at all.

I sat down in a chair at the Mexican restaurant on the left to try to gather my thoughts and figure out how I was gonna get down the long A gate corridor to my departure gate at the very end.

No big deal for someone that can walk.

But I couldn't.

I spotted a wheel chair across the aisle from where I was sitting and literally one leg hopped over to it with backpack and computer bag and started wheeling myself down that long A corridor.

I hadn't gone 50' when I heard a voice from behind me ask...

"Do you need some help?"

Now anybody that knows me knows I rarely ask for help but at this point I probably needed help more than any other time in my life.

"Yes - I am trying to get to gate A12 for my flight to Houston" was my reply.

My Good Samaritan got me there and was actually on the same flight and kept me company.

I arranged for assistance on the Houston end and the rest is History.

A year and 2 months later I am 10# heavier, almost all muscle, as my recent body composition test of 7.3% body fat confirmed.

I am happy, healthy, independent and almost completely pain free.

I am thankful that my Life of Activity and Independence was given back to me with the success of my left knee TKR but I still remember the pain I went through to get to this point and the day I couldn't take one more step.

I Remember Everything.

https://youtu.be/7G8QItjTSDA