Good luck Gator.
I have had both knees replaced by ortho specialists. Mine were done as out patient surgery and I was home by noon each time. At the time I was 55 and 56 years old. I had them done one year apart. I was back to work within 3 weeks for each. Being young helps speed recovery. My biggest thing was staying ahead of the pain, take the pain meds. Do the therapy all the time. I did toe/heel pumps in my recliner all day long. Plus I drank a ton of water, which forced me to get up and urinate all the time. The up and down helped with the therapy and recovery. It takes about 1.5 years to feel pressure while kneeling. Be forewarned, I am not normal. Most take 3 months to recover.
The hardest thing to overcome was the way I used to walk. When your in pain, you develop a gait that minimizes the pain. However once the knee has been replaced, you must force yourself to walk upright and normally. The pain isn't there, its all in your head and muscle memory. Retrain yourself. If you don't you live a self fulfilled prophecy.
