I don't know why I was dreading this appointment so. Maybe I shouldn't have fired the previous specialist? What if I dislike this one as much as the former one? Does this appointment mean I am really going to have the surgery in three weeks?
An hour and fifteen minutes after my appointment time, in walks the doctor. He's friendly, soft-spoken and very reassuring. He immediately answered my first five questions before asking me what questions I had. I didn't have any other questions.
Yes, I need Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery of the left knee. Apparently it is the same thing as a Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA).
The exam confirmed what his assistant had found: my knee needs replacing and soon. Strangely when he was twisting my leg around to see how much play was in the joint (a lot) it didn't hurt at all. For the past several weeks there has been less pain in the left knee. The right heel has been much more painful, especially at night.
Either I have gotten used to the left knee or the pain transmitters have ground away along with my bone and cartilage. Maybe a little of both.
He told me I would be in the hospital three to five days and might need a few more days, perhaps a week, in a rehab facility. Everybody I know who has gone to rehab has had an alcohol problem. If I'm in rehab for knee therapy can I have a drink before dinner?
The next step for me is the pre-op interview at the hospital. Then I'll find out everything I'll have to do before the surgery. And after.
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