Updates from Suzie Andrade

Second Knee Replacement: Terrified Before Knee #1, Excited Before Knee #2

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 12:11:00 -0600

I sat down with Sharon three days before her second knee replacement and asked how she was feeling, in one sentence.

She didn't even need the whole sentence. She was excited. Ready to go.

That stopped me, because this is the same woman who told me she was a wreck before her first surgery. Low pain tolerance, and all she could think about was whether she'd get through it. Hearing her now, calm and excited, made my whole week!

Her Fear Before the First Knee Replacement

Stairs After Knee Replacement: The Trick That Helped Me

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:11:00 -0500

Going up stairs was fine after both knee replacements. Going down was the problem. Here’s the heel tap that helped.

Knee Replacement Surgery Anxiety: 3 Ways to Calm Down

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:11:00 -0500

Surgery day anxiety hit me before both knee replacements. These three things, plus one flip on how I thought about pain, helped me walk in calm.

Scared of Knee Replacement Surgery You're Not Alone

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:11:00 -0500

Scared of Knee Replacement Surgery? Why Fear Comes with You (And So Does Your Courage)

The comment I see more than any other on my social media?

"I'm scared."

"I'm terrified."

Same.

If you're scared of knee replacement surgery, you're in good company.

Knee Replacement Surgery Day Timeline: What to Expect, Step by Step

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:11:00 -0500

I've done this twice. Two knee replacements, two surgery days, both outpatient.

And here's what surprised me most about round two: I was calm. The surgery wasn't any different. I just knew what was coming.

That's what I'd love to give you here, to know what’s coming (or at least an idea). Your day won't look exactly like mine. Your health, your surgeon, your facility, and whether you're inpatient or outpatient all change the details. But there's a rhythm to surgery day, and knowing it ahead of time changes how you walk in.

What Happens on Knee Replacement Surgery Day?

How to Prepare for Knee Replacement Surgery: What I Wish Someone Had Handed Me

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:11:00 -0500

I went looking for help for my knee replacement the way most people do — I searched online. Almost everything I found was one of two things: a worst-case-scenario risk assessment and downright scary stories 😳, or a shopping list of gadgets my doctor never once mentioned.

My doctor, to his credit, gave me three sheets of paper. What to expect, step-by-step. What he didn't give me was anything on preparing my mind, my body, or my spirit for what was coming.

How to Prepare for Knee Replacement Surgery Beyond the Shopping List

What Does a Physical Therapist Think About the Knee Replacement Hub? Here's What Mine Had to Say.

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:00:00 -0500

When someone who helped guide my own knee replacement recovery recommends the resources I've created to his patients, that means something special. I've been through three knee replacements, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that recovery involves so much more than physical therapy exercises and getting your range of motion back.

3 Surprises About Knee Replacement Surgery Day

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:11:00 -0500

It was only through my two knee replacements that I realized — my second time around, I was considerably calmer. And that's not to say I didn't have fear and anxiety. We're human, we process emotions. But I knew what surgery day would look like, and I also realized nobody really talks about the small stuff. So, I want to tell you about three things that actually caught me off guard both times and genuinely surprised me.

Surprise #1: Prep Isn't About the Surgery. It's About Infection.

My personality is pretty much “Perfect Patty”. So, when my facility handed me a list before surgery

Before Knee Replacement Surgery, Decide These 3 Things

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:11:00 -0500

Three weeks before my first knee replacement, my husband proposed. I know that's not the opening you expected on a knee replacement blog. But stay with me, because that proposal ended up changing the entire way I approached my recovery, and it's the reason I want to share these three things with you today.

Suddenly I wasn't just a woman getting a new knee. I was a bride-to-be picturing her wedding day, and I already knew exactly what I wanted to wear: 3 and a half inch heels. Which meant I already knew what my legs needed to be able to do. Strength training wasn't optional anymore. It had a purpose.

Avoid Knee Replacement Prep Overwhelm: 5 Questions to Ask

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:11:00 -0500

When I started prepping for my knee replacement, I did what everyone tells you to do. I went looking for the checklist. The list of gadgets, the list of must-haves, the list of "here's exactly what you need." The deeper I got into it, the more overwhelmed I felt, and the more I realized something wasn't sitting right with me.

Those lists are built for a generic person. I'm not a generic person. I'm me, at my age, in my body, walking into my specific surgery. So instead of collecting more checklists, I stepped back and looked at the bigger picture instead of the small stuff.