Orthopedic Patient Stories

Back in the Driver's Seat

After bilateral knee replacement, Brett Bond returned to the farm in time for planting season­—and back to the work he loves.

When tractors started rolling across Central Illinois fields this spring, climbing into a cab was not just another day on the farm for one Mattoon farmer. For Brett Bond, it was a milestone.

Just a few months earlier, Brett had undergone bilateral knee replacement surgery at Sarah Bush Lincoln. His goal was clear from the beginning: be ready for planting season.

“One of my goals was to be able to farm in the spring and get the crop in the ground,” Brett said. “Every week I could feel myself getting stronger. I was able to climb a little better, walk a little better, and that was a big positive.”

For years, arthritis had slowly made farming more difficult. Climbing into tractors, walking fields and handling the physical demands of the job became increasingly painful. When injections no longer provided relief, Brett met with Orthopedic Surgeon Eric Brewer, DO to discuss his options.

Because both knees were causing similar pain, Dr. Brewer recommended replacing them during one operation. “I was willing to jump in and have both of them done,” Brett said. “It meant one time through therapy and getting it all taken care of.”

Brett returned home the same day as surgery, where his recovery began with support from SBL Home Health. Home Health Nurse Kaitlin Maninfior, RN, helped guide him through those critical first days after surgery, monitoring his recovery, answering questions and providing reassurance as he adjusted to life at home.

He also quickly began home physical therapy with Joy Spencer, PTA. “The first couple of weeks were tough,” he admitted. “But once we got through that and I got more time in and more exercises, things started getting better.”

He credits Joy with helping him build a strong foundation for recovery. “She got me started with therapy right away. She didn’t let me sit very long. We kept moving, stretching and exercising, and I think that really helped me get to where I am today,” Brett said.

As his recovery progressed, Brett transitioned to outpatient physical therapy at Sarah Bush Lincoln several times each week. Little by little, he noticed improvement.

“It was kind of slow at first,” he said. “But after a couple of months, I could really feel the strength coming back. I was getting up better, walking better and starting to climb again.”

Those milestones meant more than simply recovering from surgery. Farming requires climbing in and out of equipment, loading seed, moving machinery and spending long days in the tractor during planting season.

Today, climbing into the tractor is something he barely thinks about. “Climbing into the tractor now is pain-free,” he said. “I can climb right up in it without any trouble.”

Even more rewarding has been returning to life beyond the farm. Brett and his wife, Lisa, enjoy traveling together, and he treasures spending time with their three adult daughters and their families.

“There are times during the day that I don’t even think about my knees anymore,” he said. “I’m just getting back to normal.” 

Looking back, Brett says recovering from bilateral knee replacement was not something he accomplished alone. “I couldn’t have done it without my wife,” he said. “It was all those little everyday things you take for granted until you can’t do them. She stepped right up and helped me through all of it.”

His daughters traveled from across the country to help during the weeks following surgery, while friends and neighbors stopped by with meals and checked in regularly.

Brett is equally grateful for the medical care he received throughout the process. “I had a great experience from day one—from seeing Dr. Brewer, through surgery and recovery,” he said. “Sarah Bush Lincoln cares about your surgery, but they also care about helping you heal and get back to where you were.”

This spring, Brett was not watching planting season from the sidelines. He was back where he belongs: climbing into the tractor, working the fields and looking forward to another harvest.

To make an appointment or for more information about SBL Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Mattoon, call 217 238-3435. For the SBL Bonutti Clinic Orthopedics in Effingham, call 217 342-3400. You can call SBL Physical and Occupational Therapy at 217 258-2530.