“To knee or not to knee”, is that the real question?

By: Keith Kappes
Columnist
Carter County Times

Please forgive my feeble attempt at this play on words in the title of today’s commentary. Perhaps I also should apologize to William Shakespeare for borrowing the actual quote of “to be or not to be” from “Hamlet”.      

Regardless, I’m trying to justify my reasoning for procrastinating total knee replacement surgery.

First, at almost 79, I’ve never had a surgical procedure that required anesthesia. Frankly, I’m not anxious to have someone cutting on me in a hospital during this winter surge of COVID-19.

Adding to my uneasiness is the pending arrival of the omicron variant on top of the delta variant. After two Moderna vaccinations early this year and a Moderna booster in mid-November, I’m trying to maintain my confidence in U. S.  medical science and its great track record of defeating viruses.

To be honest, my knee anxiety forced me to accept the shocking truth that, at last, I am experiencing the serious consequences of aging. At this age and stage of life, I’ve already lived longer than both of my parents and I hope to get close to my grandmother who made it to 100.

After learning a few months ago that arthritis had destroyed the cartilage in my right knee and that my left knee likely would follow suit in the next year or so, I was dismayed to learn that the permanent solution would be an artificial knee.

I started walking with a cane and trying my best to avoid limping but that experience really makes me feel very old, especially when younger folks rush to open doors or stop their cars 50 feet from crosswalks.

My hand-carved cane was a gift from a dear friend on my 50^th birthday when I also received a wheelchair and an AARP membership from friends still younger than 50.

I enjoyed the humor of that experience but, almost 29 years later, it no longer seems that funny. However, I do take some comfort in this quote by the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw:  

“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.”

Keith Kappes can be reached at keithkappes@gmail.com