- November 30, 2018 My name is Kim Howatt, and I had an AMZ/ACI December 2008. I was a very active kid growing up. Any sport any time. After a collegiate softball career, I continued to play competitively, until I was unable to deal with the knee instability. At 11 months post op, I was able to hike out to view the volcanic eruption on the Big Island of Hawaii. Currently, at 20 months post op, I can bike and walk many miles pain free. I traversed the cobblestone streets of Rome and the hills of Tuscany this past summer � all pain free. I am also playing softball again. Climbing up and down stairs now is laughable. Before it was a chore. Working out is challenging and fun again. What helped make this surgery a success? A great surgeon, a great therapist, and a lot of hard work. I am a very aggressive person when I work out, and I had to learn to dial my intensity down a notch. I had to learn patience. Slow, methodical rehab wins the race. I started working out with my trainer twice per week in my brace 10 days after surgery. While the sessions were very controlled, it felt good to do something active and �normal.� I am extremely grateful for a second chance at being me. I don�t yet know how much I can achieve because I am still improving each month, but I am living a life of sport once again, thanks to Dr. Cole.