From Pain to Power

Gerry Lasola was always an active kid. He enjoyed sports and keeping fit. When he graduated from high school in 1978, he joined the U.S. Army, and his fitness regime expanded to include “a lot of running and heavy lifting.” He went to U.S. Army Airborne School where he trained to be a paratrooper, doing a number of skydive jumps with bone-jarring landings. He was deployed many times over his career, each time taking part in a variety of hikes, reconnaissance events, and more bone-pounding activities. By 2013, he had reached the rank of E9, or Sergeant Major, and could feel every one of the 35 years he had invested in the service.

“I had achieved the most senior rank for enlisted soldiers through hard work, but it had taken a toll on my body,” Lasola explained. “Both knees were bone-on-bone and that led to a lot of problems with my back. I was always in pain. I knew I couldn’t perform the way I wanted to, so I retired. I was sad, but I really didn’t have a choice.”

Lasola sought treatment through the VA. He was given injections in his knees and back, but none brought relief. The pain forced him to give up the activities he loved—travel, exercise, martial arts—and live a much more sedentary lifestyle in Vallejo. His life was upended. “After 2013, I fell apart,” he shared. “I wasn’t old enough to feel as old as I did. It hurt to walk any distance, and then I needed quadruple bypass surgery. I felt like all my good days were behind me.”

Lasola finally got a referral in 2018 for replacement of his left knee at a military hospital, but it was not a good experience. “Everything that could have gone wrong, did,” Lasola elaborated. “The surgeon came in with what looked to me like carpentry equipment, the anesthesiologist hit the wrong nerve, and I woke up mid-procedure. I was sent home with compression socks that I was allergic to. My left knee was swollen like a baseball. I was wearing the socks on both legs, so my right knee started swelling from the allergic reaction. Because of this, I couldn’t start physical therapy right away.”

Lasola’s troubles continued. “My knee started to freeze in place, and the doctor said he’d have to break it if I didn’t start moving. So I worked through the pain and the swelling and finally was able to walk without constant pain in that knee.”

In 2019, Lasola and his wife planned a celebration tour to Jerusalem which included a lot of walking. It was during this trip that he realized having one knee repaired put a lot of pressure on the other knee. Even using a cane, Lasola was unable to keep up with the tour. He started thinking about replacing the right knee, but the COVID virus pushed all of his plans back. That turned out to be a good thing.

In 2022, one of Lasola’s friends had both knees replaced by Bryant Bonner, MD, at the Institute for Joint Restoration and Research at Washington Hospital. His friend’s surgery and recovery went smoothly, and he highly recommended Dr. Bonner. Still, Lasola was hesitant. After his bad experience, he wasn’t anxious for a repeat.

“I decided to meet with Dr. Bonner just to see what he would say,” Lasola said. “He explained it all really well. He told me they used a robotic method that makes a big difference in the whole experience. I felt he really listened to me. I trusted him and felt confident this experience would be more positive.”

In January 2023, Dr. Bonner used the VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solution to replace Lasola’s right knee. Because of his prior experience, he asked to be awake during the procedure. Lasola felt confident as the surgical team performed the operating room “time out” to confirm the surgical site and procedure. He was able to watch the entire surgery on the screen, with Dr. Bonner explaining each step. He was able to go home that day and begin physical therapy that week.

“I could tell Dr. Bonner cared about me as a person, not just a body on a table,” Lasola shared. “His entire team was very professional, but not impersonal. That really helped reassure me during the surgery. He encouraged me and cheered me on as I passed recovery milestones. He knew I was active, and Dr. Bonner helped me get back to the life I love.”

As a result of the innovative robotic knee replacement procedure and focused physical therapy, recovery only took two months instead of nearly six. Lasola was able to go back to activities he enjoyed, including martial arts, weightlifting, and traveling with his wife. He said replacing his right knee gave him his life back.

“When I first started on the leg press after the right knee replacement, I was only able to press 70 pounds,” he said. “Now I’m up to 200 pounds. My wife and I went to watch our daughter graduate from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and I did a lot of walking without pain. Flying used to be a very painful experience, but that’s all gone now, and my wife and I are planning an Asian cruise that has us walking miles every day.

“I am so grateful to Dr. Bonner for his expertise, but also for his caring and the connection he made with me,” Lasola continued. “I can’t say enough about the difference he made in my life.”

For more information on Dr. Bryant Bonner and the Institute for Joint Restoration and Research, visit whhs.com/IJRR.