With a background that included playing sports and working on concrete floors, it wasn’t a big surprise that Shawn Fite’s knees were “shot.”

Shawn knew he needed to have something done about it, but he kept putting it off.

“I was taking a lot of Aleve,” he recalled. “I was working and doing a lot of walking on concrete, and by the end of the day it was hard to get up and down.”

After some nudging from his wife, Shawn finally saw Dr. Joseph Leith about the problem. Within three months, Shawn had both knees replaced and his only regret was not doing it sooner.

“I absolutely wish I’d done it sooner. I should have done it ten years before.”

Shawn said the process wasn’t stressful at all, and the staff made it as easy as possible.

Right after meeting with Dr. Leith, he met with a scheduler who handled everything. He didn’t even have to follow up with anyone – they always reached out to him.

The staff also kept him feeling at ease all the way to the day of the surgery. “It was amazing, really. Even clear into the O.R., they were joking,” he said. “I haven’t had any major surgeries in my life, but this was major to me and they made me feel really comfortable.”

Shawn’s procedure also had an unexpected benefit: he was bow-legged prior to the operation, but no longer has any bow-leggedness.

All together, it was a positive experience, and one he hopes others learn from.

“Don’t be afraid to improve your wellbeing,” he said, noting that he put off his own procedure for ten years. “Don’t be afraid to improve your life.”