All I want for Christmas is A New Knee

All I want for Christmas is a new right knee and I get one!

My right knee has had no cartilage in it for several years.

Bone rubs on bone when I walk.

Oh, and I guess I have a 'spur', too.

I'm so special!

My healthcare provider tells me that my knee looks like that of an 80-year-old.  That is not something this 53-year-old needed to hear.

Over the past three years I've had multiple cortisone injections but now I get limited relief from them.

I've had two SynVisc injections (a gel injected into the knee) to cushion the bones.  This does work for about four months.

The opportunity of a new knee has been offered to me for a couple of years.  There were a couple of deciding factors for me.

First, I saw the bill from my latest SynVisc injection.  Over $2000 for each injection and I have had two already this year.  This adds up!

Second, our health insurance is changing for next year.  It will be cheaper for us to have it done this year.

The third factor in my deciding to have the surgery now is, well, I am going to wait to tell you the third reason in a future post.

The fourth factor is that the arthritis in my knee is going to be removed and I'll be able to walk more than two blocks without being in pain.  And, boy, do I look forward to that.

The appointment with the surgeon is scheduled for November 1.  Will you walk this journey with me?  I'm really, really, really, really, really NOT looking forward to the post-surgery pain and healing.  In fact, that has been the reason I haven't had this done sooner.  I guess I'm a pain weenie!

My mom has offered to come help me post-surgery.  Isn't that cool!

Hopefully after the November 1 appointment I can get in and have the surgery the same week.  That would put me at being able to walk by Christmas.

Thus, all I want for Christmas is a brand, new right knee.

Amazing!