Fannie Mutchko’s favorite line-dancing song is “Achy Breaky Heart” by country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. But 15 years ago, at 85 years old, the Waldwick, New Jersey, native could no longer join the line because her knees were in constant pain.
“I danced twice a week at the senior center, but the pain got so bad, I just had to stop,” says Fannie, a mother of three, grandmother of six and great-grandmother of two children.
As the years passed, simple tasks like climbing stairs became impossible, and Fannie’s quality of life diminished due to the pain in her knees. Her daughter, Diane Wanamaker, moved in with her. Seeing her mom’s inability to do daily tasks, Diane decided to get help.
“She usually has more energy than all of us,” Diane says. “So when she couldn’t do anything anymore, I called her friend’s doctor.”
The Power of Positive Thinking
That doctor was Harlan Levine, M.D., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in total joint replacement surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center. Dr. Levine says that when he met Fannie, he didn’t hesitate to guide her to surgery, despite the fact that she was 91.
“Her biggest limitation was her mobility, not her overall health,” he says. “She was healthy, motivated, and independent. For someone like her, age wasn’t a factor.”
Fannie was in excellent health, so Dr. Levine performed her first knee replacement in September 2016. Nine months later, in June 2017, he replaced her other knee.
“For patients over 80, we typically avoid replacing both knees at the same time because of higher risks of complications,” Dr. Levine says. “Staging gives the body time to recover between procedures.”
Recovery from knee replacement surgery is an active process, and Fannie was up for the challenge. “I was walking the same day as the surgery,” she says.
Following each surgery, she spent a week and a half doing physical therapy. Diane remembers how quickly her mother improved. “The nurse took her for a walk around the block and said, ‘You’re doing great. Let’s go further!’”
Fannie’s smooth and rapid recovery is due to her discipline and attitude, according to Dr. Levine.
“She followed the rehabilitation protocol meticulously,” he says. “Her success is a credit to how much the patient’s mindset and commitment matter.”
Diane says that a couple of Fannie’s past doctors had told her that she was too old and that her skin was too thin to withstand total knee replacement surgery. But Dr. Levine knew that advanced age does not rule out surgery.
“We focus on the patient’s overall health,” he says. “Even younger patients may not be fit for surgery if they have poorly controlled diabetes, obesity or other health issues. Someone in their 90s, like Fannie, who is otherwise healthy and active, can benefit greatly.”
100 Years Young
Last year, Fannie celebrated her 100th birthday. Dressed like a princess, she watched a parade of more than 30 cars and 100 people honk and send her happy birthday wishes. She drew more than 85 friends and family members to her party at a local restaurant and an open house. The mayor of Waldwick even proclaimed December 14, 2024, as “Fannie Mutchko Day.”
Though she now uses a walker for balance after unrelated falls, Fannie’s zest for life remains undiminished. “I’d love to get back to line dancing,” she says.
Though it’s been years since Dr. Levine operated on Fannie, he’s stayed in touch. He recently watched a video of her dancing at her 100th birthday party.
“Seeing her dancing made me grateful for the work we do,” he says. “It’s an incredible testament to modern medicine and the human spirit.”
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