Three weeks ago Mary had knee replacement surgery to rid her left leg of arthritis pain. At the age of 73, Mary had already lived six years with a knee replacement in her right leg, and she decided not to put off surgery for the other knee. "Before I had my second knee done, I had a lot of pain," she said. "It was miserable. The cartilage was all gone. I could not put weight on it."

With chronic pain in her left knee, Mary frequently traveled with a cane. She became so dependent on it that she referred to it as her "husband." Now, she's looking forward to a more active lifestyle. "I can't wait to get back to exercising, getting in the pool, and just going to the senior center to enjoy time with my friends," she said. "I wish I had done it sooner."