On Tuesday 17th October I saw Mr. Patel, the surgeon who did my Knee-One replacement in May 2012.
With the various checkups and a proposed operation on Knee-Two last year which I aborted I have had quite a few meetings with Mr. P. and he is now like an old friend. He agreed straightaway that a replacement would be available for Knee-Two, but it would mean 3 to 6 months on the waiting list.
Then on Thursday this week I had a call from the waiting list people saying Mr. P. had needed to reschedule his list and would have a number of NHS slots at the BMI private hospital in Lancaster during November, and would I be interested. Would I!
I am now awaiting a call for a date for the pre-op examination and hopefully a date for the op. in November.
Fingers crossed.
My main worry now is the possibility of being stranded on the deck when I get down there. When I stand up from lying on the floor (or getting out of the bath et al) I use one knee to aid that manoeuvre, and except for one occasion I have never kneeled on the operated knee, even though I have been told I could if I wanted, but I am very apprehensive about that. So with two dodgy knees I will have to work out a strategy.
I have had a few scrapes in my time when serious injury or worse could have been the outcome, but my nearest death event was the one time I used Knee-One to kneel on in September last year on the ascent of Lord's Seat in the Lake District - here is an extract from my post at the time - if you want to read the whole post got to:
http://conradwalks.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Lord%27s+Seat
"Then I saw a rock band ahead blocking the way, fortunately with a rake going diagonally left, but even that had a small rock outcrop halfway up, but I had no option. I had two attempts at that rock pitch, and got into a desperate situation and came very close to coming off. After instructing myself to suppress the fear I managed by kneeling on my replacement knee which is something I do not do, but now that really was the difference between achievement and what would have been a potentially fatal fall, and it had to be done. That was serious."
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Good luck Conrad, I hope you get a date soon.
ReplyDeleteArise Sir Hugh.
ReplyDeletePhreerunner - thanks
ReplyDelete— — — — — — — —
BC - chance would be a fine thing.
I frequently watch climbers on Youtube doing "The hardest rock-climb in the world" (There's competition for this claim and all the climbs are different.) These pioneers routinely fall off, over and over. In fact falling off seems to be one of the necessary skills at this sort of level. Yes, I know all about top-ropes, pegs, etc, but even so... you wonder whether familiarity might lead to fatality (How's that for an apophthegm? It rhymes.) That one day you may find yourself doing a climb without ultimate security and be somewhat forgetful. Best of luck with the op.
ReplyDeleteRR - caution may lead to longevity.
ReplyDelete