Hi Ho Hi Ho To Surgery I Go...

So, the kind people at Comprehensive Orthopedics have x-rayed me and it is determined that the time has come. On February 9th, I will have my left knee replaced. For the last couple of weeks I have been in the most excruciating pain I have ever felt. The x-ray showed that not only do I not have any cartilage in my knees and they are bone on bone, the left side is actually bone overlapping bone causing a sharp knife stabbing burst of pain with the tiniest of movement and a constant throbbing ache. My right knee is holding it's own for now but will eventually have to be replaced as well. The doc gave me some Tramadol for pain and it worked for about the first day but now it does nothing.

I know I'm lucky to work in a place with health insurance but I will have to pay for 20% of the total cost of this procedure and the hospitalization even with the insurance. And because I live in a two story walk up that is tiny and not conducive to in home therapy I will be going to in-patient rehab for physical therapy for a few weeks. Again, insurance will pay but only 80% so this will cost me some dollars. To add insult to injury, I do not have enough paid sick time accrued to cover the lengthy recovery time and I only have four weeks of paid vacation times to use which is half of the shortest recovery time I have been quoted. I've applied for Family Medical Leave but that will be unpaid time. So, this is a real bummer. Physically, I feel like shit yet know I can't live without getting this done but financially - it's a blood sucker.

We'll be okay. We always are. Somehow, Alex and I will get through this and carry on and I'll be healthier and happier for it. He's been a ROCK throughout all of this - putting up with my whiney, crabby ass and taking such good care of me. Even making fun of me when it gets too serious. I love him for that.

So, I will be the proud owner of a new bionic knee very soon. I'm sure recovery will have it's pain but nothing can match with what I'm living with right now. Unbearable. Really.