Don, the doctor said he usually waits for the patient to tell him when they're ready for the procedure. It isn't like heart or gallbladder or cancer surgery or other things that must be done, it is elective, but it is a huge quality of life choice. If I step wrong I can almost topple over; it's an instant collapse when you move wrong when exercising, dancing, climbing around the yard, etc. Walking on uneven ground or climbing stairs is painful and you can hear the bones grind (the noise travels through the skeleton, and I think someone other than me could hear it if they were nearby.) It's a hard surgery so it isn't taken lightly.

I wore my knees out the old-fashioned way—hard work. In high school I took up mountain climbing, going up and down mountains wearing a heavy backpack (down is usually harder on your knees than up), and then there was all of the long-distance backpacking with even heavier packs. I spent several years working in forestry climbing through clearcut units and fighting forest fires (carrying a lot of gear). I've been gardening for years, doing a lot of digging and lifting and dragging and carrying of heavy objects. The cartilage is gone, it's bone on bone and my knees are knock kneed (only one of them now). Standing with deteriorated knees mean your legs aren't straight, they meet at the knees.