Getting Ready For Surgery

Elective surgery is a big decision. Sometimes I think the more you know about the surgery, the less likely you are to have it. After suffering with a torn meniscus and arthritis in my left knee for over five years, and eventually finding out that I have no cartilage left in that knee, I have made the decision to get a new knee.

My pain began about five years ago. It kept me from doing many of the activities I had done before, or doing my favorite things, like walking, yoga and boogie boarding, at a less intense level. I turned over in bed one night, and it seemed that my knee went one way, and the rest of my leg went the other way. I've never been the same since. I have had two arthroscopic repairs to this knee to clean up the meniscus and arthritis, but over the past six months, my knee has deteriorated.

I have been to six orthopedic surgeons over the past five years. I decided last December I was going to have my knee replaced, so I started in earnest to find a doctor with whom I felt comfortable. I met with several and am finally scheduled for surgery with Dr. Bugbee at Scripps Green on July 9.

Next, I began asking everyone I knew who had had this surgery in the past few years about their experience. The more you ask, the more you learn, and you even get some information that you'd rather not have, like the fact that you need to take Coumadin for a month after surgery to prevent blood clots. I did not know that. Infection is also a possibility, so getting out of the hospital as soon as possible is recommended. Constipation! I never thought about that problem until it was brought to my attention. You must take Vicadin for the pain, and that can cause serious constipation, or even blockage, in some cases.

These are just a few of the things I have discovered in my quest to be ready for surgery and to have a quick recovery. Getting my house ready, and having some help are other issues that I have researched, and will write about at another time. Oh! And calling Blue Cross to understand my benefits before the surgery was very important. All that next week. Until then, I'm counting the days until July 9, and hope that shortly thereafter I will be pain free.