My name is Lori Pickens and I am a fitness instructor, personal trainer. From the, approximately the 1990s, I started experiencing some knee pain and I had surgery on one of the knees than for a meniscus cleanup. And over the years my knees just started, I could tell that they were getting a not quite as optimal as they should be being an active person. I started to sense that there was some pain and the pain, it started out not so much and then it became more and more and more to where it prevented me from falling asleep. And so I knew that the quality of my life had changed or I did have two more surgeries on each knee to see if I could try and save the knees from anything. So invasive as a replacement and they were not successful. Dr. Gustke’s name came to me from a nurse that had practiced with him. And so I started going online and just checking his credentials. I just happened to go to Florida Orthopaedic because Dr. Gustke was part of Florida Orthopeadic. So that’s how that came about. But he’s amazing. He’s been doing this for decades and decades. He is a co-designer of the implant. I was happy to be a part of the Makoplasty process because they take as little amount invasively. They do a CT scan.
Prior to surgery, upon going over Dr. Gustke’s credentials, I could see that I was, had tapped into or had been given a doctor that was superior in his field. And it just so happened that Florida Orthopaedic was attached to him. But upon going there, I could see that it was well run. And why wouldn’t it be if he was part of an organization like that? Of course, then it would so well run. I am so grateful for these working knees when I opened my eyes.
My day begins by knowing that I have movement that I’m going to have to be doing through the day by choice. I love it. Now when I go home at night after having such a full day working and helping people, I, I take such a joy in, in helping people through their, their discomfort in and their growth for a healthy body and mind, when you go through a knee replacement, you will have pain as well, but it’s healing pain that will go away. Dr. Gustke will do his part and then you’ll have to do your part. And rehab is an experience and it is essential that you do everything that they physical therapists instructs you to do. I now have two working legs before I did not. So that I think is just such a blessing to be able to have that given back to me. And that was through Dr. Gustke and Florida Orthopaedic.
