The Dackel Princess

Over the last few weeks, I know I have mentioned that my right knee has been very sore. In fact, I am using a walker because I cannot put any weight on my right leg. Yesterday I broke down, and I called my orthopedic surgeon three times, asking to come in and have further X-rays and an evaluation of my knee.
I fully expected not to be able to see him and not to be further evaluated. But his office called, and they squeezed me in on Wednesday. Once I got to his office, I was shown into the X-ray room, where they took four different X-ray shots of my knee while I was standing on it so they could see what happens to my knee when I put weight on it.
What they found was, in fact, that I do have bone-on-bone, which will require not just a little surgery to clean it up but a full knee replacement.
The doctor reminded me that on my first visit with him, I had told him I did not want a knee replacement.
I can tell you now that the pain I have been in has led me to do and agree to many things I never thought I would do. Thus, I am waiting to hear from the surgical department about my appointment to have my right knee surgically replaced.
It’s not just that I am elated; after going through all the pain I have been in, I can say I am happy to see light at the end of the tunnel.
I was concerned that I would be forced to go into a rehab hospital after the surgery. But my puppy nanny has agreed to come here to help Heidi and me, and I am ready to roll.
I recall Jack’s three knee replacements, as his first was done at age 57. The doctor advised that Jack should quit running and be cautious with his knee. But Jack was never one to do what he was told, and he kept running, so although he was back to work in seven weeks’ time, that knee replacement did not last very long.
He had two more knee replacements in his late 60s and early 70s, which allowed him to return to his favorite sport, snow skiing.
He snow-skied up until the age of 83, when he voluntarily hung up his skis and ski poles and retired.
I would like my knee to be in good shape so that I can begin walking again with Heidi and help build my strength and endurance.
And, of course, one very important thing is that I lose a few pounds. Ugh, isn’t that always the way?
So, between now and my surgery, I will work on eating better and lose a few more pounds. It will take a lot longer to lose the weight, and it’s something that I simply will have to keep up with after the surgery.
I am elated that they have found what is causing my pain and that there are things that can be done to make my life better.

Good morning, gentle readers. I know I haven’t been writing much lately, and it is due to the ongoing saga of my injured knee.
I injured my knee over two months ago; one will recall that I had to wait three weeks just to have an MRI on my knee. The interesting thing here is that the day after I had my MRI, which contained the words “severe damage” six times, I was able to get in to see an orthopedic surgeon.
The doctor feels that physical therapy would do me some good. I cannot put weight on my leg without horrible pain, and without it giving out, so I was very skeptical about going for physical therapy. I did not have to worry too much, because physical therapy couldn’t see me for over a month.
I’ve called my doctor back and explained my situation to him. His nurse called me and said she would get me into physical therapy. Yesterday she called me again and told me that that would not happen. She said she can’t get me into physical therapy anywhere within a 50-mile radius of my home. So now no one really knows what they want to do with my knee. I would like them to go in and clean up the damage to my knee.
I am not bone-on-bone. I do have a lot of arthritis and bone spurs and a meniscus that has been torn and has definitely seen better days.
I was thinking about this this morning as I was sipping my tea. I remember watching Lindsey Vonn at the Olympics last winter, when she fell and suffered a serious injury. She had flown her doctors in; she had the best medical treatment, and when they had stabilized her, they flew her out and back to her home state of Colorado.
I’m thinking that perhaps if I were young, gorgeous, and loaded with money, I would be getting treatment above and beyond what I am right now.
I do have excellent insurance. And I can afford to see good doctors, undergo necessary medical procedures, and ensure my knee is treated in a timely fashion. But here I am over 2 months of not being able to move I haven’t been getting out to get my groceries I order them. I don’t see people because they are out there, and I can’t get there.
I missed my 50th high school reunion. I missed my grandnephew and his wife’s wedding, which I was really looking forward to.
And during this time, Heidi had cancer surgery twice. She has been an amazing companion to me through all of this, and I hope I have given back to her everything she has given me.
So my friends, life has given me a bowl of very bitter lemons, and I’m not quite sure what I am going to do with them yet. I’m hoping for some resolution to this problem. I think I may have to go further afield to be examined by other doctors to get some results.
At nearly 68 years old, I am not ready to sit in my chair with my legs up and a blanket across my knees for the rest of my life; I want to get back to the land of the living.