An Update On My Health Care Treatment
[ Monday November 28th 2022 at 11:13 pm ]
I have important news:
My right knee joint buckled for a second time on September 30th. ("Buckled" is the term used when the knee gives out instead of functioning as a knee joint.) I made a post about this a few weeks ago when I was in sufficiently rough shape from shortly after this happened.
I have the direct e-mail address of my pain specialist doctor. I e-mailed him to ask if he would have an appointment with me to help me. I had that appointment on November 25th.
Part of his job is to make recommendations for interventions to treat whatever is causing the pain. He has affirmed that I have exhausted every intervention possible and the only option left is surgery. For the symptoms of my knee the only option is knee replacement. This doctor affirms the knee joint has a significant mechanical issues.
This doctor wants to do what is within his power to help me. He wants to help me make an overwhelming case to get knee replacement surgery offered to me:
This doctor has a working theory of why I am not getting a result before now. His theory is when I described the symptoms and showed him a picture of my knee exhibiting this he didn't realize it was as severe as I was saying. He thinks the surgeon will have heard patients saying various things and it watering down what I've been trying to articulate. He wants me to bring photos with me to snap the doctor out of this paradigm and make me my own unique case.
Now that my right knee joint has buckled twice it is reasonable to expect there is a new traumatic injury in my knee. This doctor knows how to read MRI imaging (opposed to the vast majority of doctors who don't have this skill and are forced to take reports at face value). He looked at my January 2020 MRI imaging while I was with him. He recognized tissues in my knee joint in is a state of pre-failure with a few things that are in motion to going seriously wrong with my right knee. Since it has been just shy of 3 years since the last MRI and with my right knee joint buckling twice it makes sense to have updated MRI imaging.
In part the doctor talked about how the orthopaedic world is backed up due to covid. The doctor didn't want me to have my surgery re-assessment appointment in January 2023 just to wait a few months for an MRI and then a few more months to get seen with the MRI results.
I wanted to talk to the doctor about the pain. Earlier this year I started using an "over the counter" local freezing gel so I could sleep at night. Since my knee buckled on September 30th this gel has only been effective 1 in 5 days. By early November the broken sleep was just destroying me. I didn't realize just how debilitating not sleeping becomes. The doctor prescribed the next natural progression (a stronger gel) to spread over my knee joint line. This has made a big difference. I've slept well on 3 out of 5 nights since I started using it. It is a remarkable difference a night sleep makes.
I had a few questions I wanted answered before I filled the prescription. In part I didn't want to risk sabotaging an MRI of my right knee joint. They got back to me and said it was fine. I was thinking ahead. I am also allowed to use this during the day time. For what is wrong in my knee it is more effective than some oral medications I've been using. I am pleased about it.
With the complicated nature of what is wrong and the history the pain specialist doctor wants me to have an MRI at a specific MRI clinic where the radiologist is very skilled. This is where patients are being sent when they are backed in a corner (so to speak). My MRI appointment is on Wednesday. I should have the results by Friday.
I have a https://www.pocket.health account. This is a long term imaging repository. Here in Ontario Canada hospitals are allowed to purge the images after 10 years. With what is wrong with my legs the images are important to keep for long term comparison. This also makes it easier for specialists to help me since I've been all over for appointments since all my imaging is one spot. My MRI imaging from Wednesday will get added to this once it is reported. They are setup to electronically transfer the images. "Pocket Health" has been gaining traction. The e-transfer of imaging is available at my local hospital and where I go for my orthopaedic appointments.
A good friend of mine is coming for me tomorrow afternoon. I'll be spending the evening at their home. This means about 65 minutes of the travel will already be done. I asked if he would do this to make it easier on my body. We will be leaving Wednesday morning around 8:30AM to my appointment. He has very graciously offered to drive me. I trust Joel. He has been very kind to me.
For my friends who pray please do so. The swelling in my need has nearly doubled since it buckled on September 30th. The areas of my knee that are painful when I try to stand up has greatly expanded. I really have a lot counting on this.
If you made it this far: thank you for spending the time reading this. I had really appreciated the support when I wasn't feeling well in October. I wanted to let those who typically respond to my posts I am being taken care of.