Finding a Knee Guy

Wow, how time flies!!   Five weeks since the last post and I haven't even started talking about the actual TKR! Well it is now 14 weeks - yep, today is day 2 after the op 14 weeks ago!

As I said in my last post - start from the very beginning - ok, TKR beginning:

Late January last year my knees were really sore and I decided to go see a knee guy.  Everyone was referring me to Spike Erasmus, the knee guru, but he is based in Stellenbosch - not exactly convenient.  I'd had a really good experience at Panorama Hospital in Plattekloof, Cape Town, a few months earlier when I was admitted for extremely high blood pressure (220/160) and this awesome physician, Dr Richard Wilson,  successfully diagnosed  Conn's Syndrome (tumour on the left adrenal gland).  An adrenalectomy was performed by Dr Jonothan Leith and, for the first time in more than 15 years, I have normal BP, like an average of 127/73! The care at Panorama was also excellent.

With such a positive experience, I decided to Google and check out knee specialists at Panorama Hospital and then Google reviewed them. What I learnt is that there are not many reviews for doctors - is there a certain code about that? I definitely avoided the one that advertised cheap treatments - I reckon my body's worth more than bargain basement prices and decided to make an appointment with Dr Adriaan van Huyssteen - just because I liked the look of his webpage, no other reason.  I'd also made an appointment with Dr Spike Erasmus for the following Thursday.

First order of the day after filling in the paperwork - go for X-rays.  I'd struggled to walk to the rooms now I was expected to traipse the hospital corridors trying to find Radiology!! Thank heavens Lizelle Brink, Dr van Huyssteen's awesome Administrator, called for a wheelchair - I knew I was in the right place - they cared!

After the X-rays the doctor called me in. Youngish, professional, well-spoken - and concerned about what he saw on my x-rays.  I honestly thought it was probably some stretched ligaments so was horrified to find that there was practically no cartilege left in either knee and that there were already signs of osteophytes.  He discussed all options but said that ultimately total knee replacement was the only way to go.  I was quite shocked. Definitely more serious than some stretched ligaments.  I raised the possibility of having both done at the same time.  He was not enthusiastic, but practicalities are that I have to work for a living, only get 30 days sick leave over a three-year period and don't earn the type of money to take extended unpaid leave. Would have to have one done and then wait three years in pain for the other knee to be done.  I don't think so!!!  I anyway had to wait till the end of the year for my new sick leave cycle to kick in.

So it was decided.  We would do both knees at the end of the year using Smith & Nephew's Visionnaire system.

Now to get Fighting Fit!