|
Two New
Knees Carry
Marathoner to Finish Line
Some people might find it easy to veg on the sofa after two knee replacement surgeries. Not 57-year-old Jane Gregory. Within six months of her surgeries, she finished a world-class marathon. She says it's her way of controlling her rheumatoid arthritis.
"I walked and finished in 9 hours and 10 minutes. Hugging my friend and crying for joy, I remember a flood of emotions as I crossed the finish line. Even though my time exceeded the 8 hour official time, I had an enormous sense of satisfaction that I had accomplished my goal. I remember aching feet and throbbing knees and muscles screaming that they'd never forgive me for what I'd just made them do."
Gregory trained with the Arthritis Foundation's Joints in Motion team for the 2001 marathon in Dublin, Ireland. She signed up for the marathon about six weeks after her first knee replacement surgery and two months before the second surgery.
"I talked with my doctor. He projected that I would be recovered enough from my surgeries by the time team training started. And, I was going to need some walking exercise anyway. I knew the surgeries and recuperation would be painful. So, I wanted to look forward to something special."
Gregory learned about the Joints in Motion training team when Michelle Tennison from the Arthritis Foundation described the program to a group of employees at her company.
"Michelle explained that participants of Joints in Motion would train under a team of experienced coaches who would design an individualized training regimen for each member. At the same time, team members would be raising money for the Arthritis Foundation's community programs and research. When I heard that Dublin and Honolulu marathons accepted walkers, I decided I wanted to walk in the Dublin marathon. I was so confident that I would be ready by the start of training that I paid my registration fee before I had my second surgery. While I was hospitalized for my second knee surgery, I hung a sign beside my hospital bed that said 'In training for a marathon'."
Gregory was 45 when she was diagnosed with RA. It started with a lot of pain in her hands and progressed to other areas of her body. Eleven years later, the cushioning cartilage in both knees was completely eaten away and bone was grinding on bone in her knee joints. The only solution was knee replacement surgeries.
"I felt devastated when I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis," says Gregory. "I'd always been an avid camper and mountain hiker, and I could hardly face having a disease that would restrict my activities. When I got over the shock, I promised myself I wouldn't let the disease take over completely. So, as I'm forced to give up an activity because of arthritis, I look for another interesting challenge to take its place."
"Participating in a marathon with two new knees seemed like the kind of challenge I needed. I had never thought of myself as an athlete, but after training for months and completing the marathon, I can enjoy hearing that term applied to me."
A special thanks to our Joints in Motion National
sponsors:
|
