Rock ‘n’ roll has been a huge part of Gary Coots’ life since childhood, but painful arthritis in his left knee nearly stopped the music.
“I’ve played music off and on for most of my life, and I’ve been in several different bands,” says the 75-year-old from Arlington. “I really miss it.”
Over the years, wear and tear on his joints forced him to seek out knee replacement surgery at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center.
“Three months after surgery, I’m already doing everything I did before, and both knees feel great,” Gary says. “My hat’s off to Methodist Mansfield.”
SHOTS TO SURGERY
Gary remembers exactly when he injured himself because he was on his knees, writing Bible verses on the floor of the Bible translation company where he worked in 2015.
“That building is covered in Scripture,” he says. “The instant it happened, it felt like somebody had taken an electric cord and plugged it into my knee. It felt like an electric shock.”
Gary was referred to Shane Seroyer, MD, orthopedic surgeon on the medical staff at Methodist Mansfield. The surgeon suggested a partial knee replacement but also offered a temporary fix: corticosteroid shots to relieve inflammation in his joint.
“Those worked for almost 10 years and then they quit working,” Gary says. “So I knew then it was time for knee replacement.”
Dr. Seroyer agreed the time had come to pursue a more permanent fix.
“Knee replacement is really something that we do when it comes to a quality of life issue,” he says, “when the person can’t do the things that they desire to do because of the pain.”
MUSIC AS THERAPY
Gary has enjoyed playing music since the second grade, when his mother bought him a guitar.
“I still have that acoustic guitar,” he says. “I’d set it down for a few years, and I’d pick it back up again. And in the early ’60s, I started playing with a couple of friends of mine, neighbors, and we started a band.”
Gary played countless gigs across Dallas-Fort Worth, and he joined more than a few bands, from Southern Cookin’ to the Circle Back Band. In the 1990s, he found a way to pair his faith with his musical hobby and even got his wife, Barb, in on the act.
“I started playing worship music in our church, and I really enjoyed that,” Gary says. “The worship team evolved into this band we called Thursday Night Therapy. We were TNT.”
Barb sang backup, while Gary played guitar and keyboards and occasionally contributed vocals himself.
“We got to play music together, but we also prayed together and shared together. It was really therapeutic. I really enjoyed that part of my life.”
But all that time standing on stages and carrying equipment across North Texas took a toll on Gary’s knees, eventually leading to surgery in January 2026.
From sports injuries to chronic orthopedic conditions, our team offers complete care to relieve pain and restore an active lifestyle. Visit MethodistHealthSystem.org
JIFFY KNEE SURGERY
In preparation for surgery, Gary lost about 30 pounds by watching what he ate and dedicating himself to a daily regimen of walking and other low-impact exercises.
“Before surgery, my goal was 8,000 steps a day, and I did look up some exercises to do pre-surgery,” he says. “Doing those simple exercises really helped cut down my recovery time.”
Gary’s recovery also benefited from a minimally invasive approach to surgery known as a “Jiffy Knee replacement.”
“I’m able to do it without cutting any of the muscle or tendon,” Dr. Seroyer says. “That allows the patient to have full motion right away and leads to a very rapid recovery.”
‘I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE’
Before surgery, Gary knew to the minute how long it would take (37 minutes, according to Dr. Seroyer), and he and his wife were in and out of the hospital in less than 24 hours.
“The moment we walked in the door there were people waiting there to greet us,” Gary says. “The whole staff was just awesome.”
Even the food was great at Methodist Mansfield, Gary says, so much so that he was actually sad to get his walking papers.
“The next day, I really didn’t want to leave because I was waiting to see what they were going to have for dinner,” he says.
Back on his feet shortly after surgery, Gary credits the support of his wife and post-operative exercises for getting the band back together, so to speak. This fall, he’s organizing a high school reunion band.
“It gets to be just a daily habit to do these exercises two or three times a day,” he says. “And if you have a spouse who’s willing, that makes it even more fun. You need to keep moving.”
Connect With Methodist