👟Every Day is Leg Day👠

By C. Cohen - THRIVE A/F Guest Contributor

This is an inspirational story from one of our listeners who agreed to share her experience pushing through and thriving after a challenging mental and physical ordeal. Thank you, C. for sharing your story and being an inspiration for THRIVE NATION!

I’ve always had great legs. In fact, in high school I was often referred to by the nickname “Stems.” My outfits of choice always included something above the knee. Little dresses, short skirts and petite jean shorts were usually what you could find me wearing to show off what I too thought was my best asset.

My legs weren’t just pretty, they were strong, muscular and solid. They allowed me to thrive as an athlete. I was always on Varsity no matter what season or sport – Field Hockey, Basketball, Lacrosse or Tennis – all Summer. I was usually the fastest on the team, always a midi and a player who you never wanted to take out of the game.

Those legs carried me to four MVP awards, and a spot in the National Woman’s Lacrosse League’s Hall of Fame. Not to mention countless team and personal wins on the field or the court. It was simply a bonus that they looked good too. Although slightly misogynistic, the nickname “Stems” never bothered me because I did in fact, love my lower limbs and what they were able to accomplish.

Now at 47 years old, I look down at my legs and two 9” scars stare back at me from both my right and left knees. There is a part of me that was devastated by the fact that two total knee replacement surgeries would leave such major scars on my precious legs. No matter how much the scars fade, they are there. For the first time in my life I found myself reaching for pants and long skirts which could hide the fact that both my knees had been operated on in a big way.

It was only after regaining my strength, my movement and flexibility after surgery that I had a complete change of attitude. My legs tell a story. My scars are simply signs of a life well lived (thus far). After all, I was a former D1 athlete who led her teams to victory countless times. And after leaving school and team sports behind, became a Spinning instructor, an avid tennis player, a gym rat and high school girls lacrosse coach.

My knee scars really are a badge of honor paying homage to the mountain of life which I have climbed with vigor, might and fight. Without saying one word, the scars I see everyday remind me that I am a warrior, a renegade, a force to be reckoned with and a survivor.

I survived two knee replacement surgeries in seven months and that is to be celebrated, not hidden under clothing or shame. The journey was real. The pain was legitimate and intense. The work to get back to the athletic life I’ve always enjoyed was not easy. It was long. It took true work and grit. But I made it. I did it. And now, I’m stronger than ever.

The years were not kind to my knees. I continued to spin and play tennis when possible while maintaining a career which also kept me in high heels for 20 years. During the girls lacrosse practices I was always jumping into drills which required running and lots of pivoting. My knees were always an issue. I always had pain but I had just learned to live with it. I must have had both my knees drained and shot up with cortisone at least 10 times.

I was a regular at physical therapy and chugged Advil several times daily just to relive the discomfort. I was desperately trying to fend off what I was told by countless doctors – the inevitability of two total knee replacements. I suffered and agonized to the point it was just my way of life...until it wasn’t. Until I couldn’t take it anymore. Until the pain outweighed the fear of surgery. Until I was out of options. It was time.

I’ve never been hospitalized. I’ve never had surgery and my skin bore no scars. So when I was laying in that hospital bed surrounded by nurses and doctors, IV’s and beeping sounds with (I assume) a thumping heartbeat...I was terrified. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks no matter how consoling the staff was that “everything was going to be ok.”

Not knowing what to expect the next time I opened my eyes plagued my ability to stay calm. What if something goes wrong? Would I be able to play tennis again and at the level I’m used to? Would I ever win another tournament? Would I even be able to Spin? Walk? Dance? All I could do was trust. Trust the surgeon, the nurses, the instruments, the medicines and machines; and most importantly the fact that everyone kept telling me that when it’s all over, it’d be worth it and I’d be pain free.

Recovery from surgery was as expected. Raw, painful, uncomfortable, frustrating and demanding unbelievable patience. What I was not expecting were the challenges that came along with the very important journey through physical therapy. I was so focused on the hospital stay, the cutting and scarring that I didn’t go further than that.

PT is essential to knee replacement recovery, and oh so challenging. Reaching milestones of degree bend and straightening. Learning how to walk properly again, heel to toe, took work and persistence. It took time. It took dedication, and drive. It took an unspoken will to get back on the court, back on the field with my lacrosse girls, back on the bike...BACK TO MY LIFE!

Now, one year post-op, I look down at the scars that adorn my “stems” and I smile. I smile because I didn’t get MY life back, I got a BETTER life back. A pain-free life. A life where I can do so much more than I have been able to do for years. I used to live in fear that I would injure myself with my fragile knees. Now, they stand solid as a rock. Not only am I back, but I’m better than ever. The agonizing pain which had plagued my ability to truly thrive athletically was over. I continue to improve every day. I continue to push myself free from fear. Just recently I played in a tennis tournament, and there was no sweeter sound than hearing the Umpire state “Game, Set, Match, Champion...C. Cohen.”

Today I love helping others who are faced with knee replacement surgery. No one knows better than I that the fear is very real. Even more so than the pain. If I can be an inspiration to anyone who needs to undergo such a procedure, I welcome it. It really did take a village. My friends, my family, my PT people, my awesome trainer who never let me give up. Everyone.

So now, I take today, and every day, as another chance to, DIG IN and GO HARD! Life is a journey of discovery, not certainty...and the only sure way to make it, is to TAKE IT ON STRONG, and NEVER give up. And when I look back at the road I’ve traveled with these knees, I’m finally one of those people who say “I wish I had done it sooner.”

C. Cohen | Thrive A/F Guest Contributor

💬 What sport, hobby, or activity kept you motivated during a difficult physical setback? How did digging in and refusing to give up help you get your active life back? Thank you C. for being the first Thrive A/F Guest Contributor to share your story with us. We would love to hear more from our community. Leave a comment below or reply directly to this if you would like to share yours!

Lou and Keith