In four days, it will be one month since my first knee replacement surgery—and overall, my experience has been a positive one.

I have minimal knee pain, and I’m now using a cane more while steadily decreasing my reliance on a walker. Since my home is a ranch, I don’t have many steps to navigate, but I’m able to go up and down the few steps to my garage without difficulty. I can also enter and exit my vehicle with ease.

I’ve completed in-home therapy and have started outpatient therapy. Both therapists have told me that I am doing exceptionally well. My leg is already at about a 108-degree bend, and I’m continuing to improve.

Along with prayer and doing pre-surgery exercises, I would highly recommend joining an online support group for people who have successfully had total knee replacement surgery. A friend suggested one to me, and I’m so glad she did.

For example, the shooting pains in my legs that were interfering with my sleep—I learned those are called “zingers.” They happen as the nerve endings heal and reconnect, and many people experience them temporarily after surgery. It was also suggested that I rest and sleep whenever I can throughout the day, which has been helpful.

And I can honestly say this: none of the pain I experienced after surgery compares to the level 10 pain I lived with before it. After 12 years of battling bone-on-bone osteoarthritis, I finally made the decision to move forward with surgery—and I’m so glad I did.

Now, I’m looking forward to getting my left knee done once my right knee is fully recovered.