A Firefighter Finds Relief at Parkland Health Center

Russell Parker fights fires at one job and works in a cobalt mine at another. He hunts, fishes, and, up until recently, competed in roping competitions on horseback. And there once was a time when he was a high-flying basketball player.

“Back then, I had some hops,” Russell says.

Russell, 56, was 26 when a leap for a rebound landed in agony.

"I brought all my weight down on my left leg," he says. "My lower leg went one direction, and my thigh went another direction. It tore some tendons and didn’t heal properly.”

Young, busy, and self-described as stubborn, Russell ignored doctors' suggestions to have his knee surgically repaired.

“I went to the store, bought a brace, and wore it for almost a year,” Russell says. “From that point forward, it just got progressively worse. Through trial and error—and a lot of pain—I did my best to adjust. But if I landed on it wrong, it would pop out of place.”

Russell fractured his left fibula in an accident around his 54th birthday, which led to a trip to Parkland Health Center and an overdue conversation with Jesse T. Beard, DO, a BJC Medical Group orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Beard told Russell that his broken left leg was going to heal fine, but then he asked him about his concerning left knee, as X-rays suggested it was in bad shape.

“I told him it hurt every day for 30 years,” Russell says.

Decades of wear on Russell’s damaged knee caused an uneven grinding of bone and severe breakdown of cartilage, the flexible, connective tissue that acts as a cushion and shock absorber. Dr. Beard told Russell he needed a total knee replacement, a procedure in which Dr. Beard would remove the arthritis and bone spurs from the knee and implant a new joint surface.

“After 30 years of pain, I realized I had come to the end of the line,” Russell says. "It was going to keep getting worse, and I didn’t want to sacrifice staying active.”

Dr. Beard performed the total knee replacement in December 2024.

“That evening I was up and walking on it,” Russell says. “It totally amazed me.”

Russell’s first two weeks of rehabilitation were a challenge, but the help of BJC Home Care made things easier. He was able to receive in-home help with exercises designed to improve his strength and range of motion before he was mobile enough to attend outpatient rehab sessions.

“While painful at times, rehab was the best thing in the world,” Russell says. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without it. Climbing ladders is a lot easier now. I can jump and squat down. I can do a lot more with my 3-year-old grandson these days. My biggest regret is not doing this surgery sooner.”

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