If I had to describe it in one word…it would be ‘miracle’

A career in the Army took a toll on Jay Sawyer’s knees, leading to six knee surgeries over the last 30 years.

When the pain in his right knee became intense, Jay knew it was time for another surgery - this time likely a knee replacement - and he turned to Sentara orthopedic surgeon Joseph Gondusky, MD, for help.

Jay already experienced a knee replacement on his left knee. In fact, he had been a knee patient of Dr. Gondusky while he was a Navy surgeon at Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. They were both on active duty at the time

"He was going to try to extend the life of my left knee but without a knee replacement, if possible," recalls Jay of the surgery at Portsmouth. "He was able to do that, and my knee held up for almost seven more years."

Eventually, Jay had a left knee replacement, but his right knee also needed help.

Finding relief at Sentara

During the pandemic, Jay began to bicycle frequently for exercise. He also started playing quite a bit of golf. Unfortunately, the twisting motion of the swing caused his right knee to throb.

"It really started hurting all the time," says Jay, who was working at the time for the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk after retiring from the Army. "The pain was much worse when I was going upstairs, walking and standing. Then, the pain started to affect my sleep."

Thankfully, Jay discovered that Dr. Gondusky was practicing in the area at the Jordan-Young Institute and was grateful to return to him as a patient.

They scheduled his surgery for November 2021 at the Orthopedic Hospital at Sentara Leigh. Jay was able to go home the same day as the surgery with manageable pain. His wife, Jill, helped him after the surgery.

Physical therapy and recovery

Jay had been diligent about his physical therapy exercises before surgery – a tip he suggests to other patients.

"Pay attention to the physician and do all the recommended prehab exercises," Jay says. "The better shape your leg and core are in before surgery, the easier your recovery will be."

Just a few days after surgery, Jay transitioned from the walker to a cane. After a few weeks of in-home PT, he started outpatient PT at a Sentara facility.

"I was stunned at the ability to get back to a fully strengthened leg and bend my knee," Jay says. "It came back incredibly fast."

Returning to golfing, fishing

A few months after surgery, Jay was back on the greens, golfing with a good friend who recently had knee surgery with Dr. Gondusky. While they were golfing, Jay got a follow-up call from Dr. Gondusky. Jay and his friend were thrilled to tell him that they were both well on their way to recovery and back to golfing.

"If you were to describe it in one word, it would be a miracle," Jay remarks of his recovery and results after surgery. "You don’t think about how much the lack of mobility impacts your life, but it affects your life in so many ways.

While Jay enjoys golfing and cycling, his true joy is fly fishing. He and Jill have recently moved to Colorado after Jay received a job offer to work with the US Space Command. With both of his knees in better shape, he’s looking forward and grateful to be able to explore and fly fish again.

"I can get in the water and not have to worry about the instability the way I had to previously," Jay adds. "I will be able to hike the mountains. To be able to do that without pain is life changing."