Adventure seeker at his peak after knee surgery

Mike Burge was made for adventure. For as long as he can remember, the 69-year-old has lived for the thrill, soaring down double black diamond ski runs, setting off on exciting motorcycle trips, and free diving in the ocean with sharks.

Along with his taste for adventure, Mike’s greatest passions include his family and his 32-year career in health care. As a retired Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center imaging specialist, Mike cared for countless patients needing precise scans to help them overcome health care challenges.

In 2012, Mike faced a challenge of his own for the first time — a squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis. A common type of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma often develops in people with significant sun exposure.

After successful treatment at the hospital’s Douglas & Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center, Mike knew Sharp Chula Vista was where he belonged as both an employee and a patient.

Globetrotters on the go

In 2023, the time came for Mike to retire and set off toward new adventures with his wife. Together, they visited Australia, Spain, Portugal, Cancun, Guadalajara and Yellowstone. As the couple prepared for their next trip — 14 days in Egypt — the monthslong pain Mike had felt in his left knee worsened.

“I’m pretty abusive to my body,” Mike laughs. “I would work on my knees and jump off ladders while fixing up my house, and the pain in my knee became unbearable. I couldn’t walk on it.”

Mike saw his doctor, who referred him to Dr. Thomas Hong, an orthopedic surgeon affiliated with Sharp Chula Vista. Mike knew that he was in good hands, having worked for so many years at the hospital where he would undergo knee replacement surgery. During his trip to Egypt two months before surgery, his chance encounter with a fellow former Sharp Chula Vista employee sealed his trust.

“I was lucky because I’ve seen what happens in the OR — I know what surgeons and surgical teams do, so I had a lot of confidence in the safety of the procedure,” Mike says. “Everything is done with precision. The handoffs between each team member and all of the careful moves they make before, during and after surgery helped me to relax and have faith.”

Ready for more adventure

Thanks to the physical therapy that was initiated immediately, Mike is walking easily with support just one month after knee replacement surgery and already making plans for what’s next. According to Dr. Hong, he is off to a great start with his new knee.

“He was a great candidate for surgery with many factors giving him the greatest chances at success,” Dr. Hong says. “While the surgery is very technical on my end, as physicians, we know that emotional and mental factors, like having a positive attitude like Mr. Burge had, can serve patients very well in the recovery period.”

Mike, a grandfather of a toddler, also credits his wife and kids for taking good care of him. He can’t wait to get back on the slopes with them, he says.

“I can see it now: a cozy rental home, my family gathered around the dinner table, and the joy of togetherness and the chance for more adventure,” Mike says. “I’m very lucky indeed.”

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