It's September 4th and I have just finished reading the literature and watching the DVD received during the visit to the specialist. They offered the opportunity to be part of a research study which I accepted enthusiastically.
To this point it had not occurred to me that there might be a choice of solutions for arthritic knees. My cousins Bruce & Jean have both had knee replacements. Our good friend Diana had both knees replaced a year ago. The operations were very successful for all three and they have encouraged me to get the job done as soon as possible.
The handouts emphasized that the decision is for serious surgery which should not be taken lightly. Success rates are very high but there is pain after the operation, work to rehabilitate and always the chance of infection. I must say that I'm a little less gung ho and must think about the operations more carefully.
One element of the questionnaire was particularly thought provoking. In a series of 4 questions, we are asked to choose, hypothetically, whether for a pain free period of time now would we forego the operations and endure the future pain. It seemed an easy decision to choose 10 or 8 years pain free. But at the 6 and 4 year intervals it became more obvious that the immediate good life wasn't long enough.
On reflection, I think I would answer the questions differently. I wouldn't want to live with the pain I have now when I'm 75 and an operation may be more difficult. However, it is a complicated issue. First of all, who knows whether we will live to 75? Secondly, can we anticipate that there will be significant changes over the next decade which will allow us to 'grow a knee replacement' for example?
Certainly the decision bears more thought. The questionnaire opens a number of points to consider that are much deeper and more philosopical than anticipated. How long to I expect to live and enjoy the current lifestyle? How do I anticipate meeting my family obligations? What near-future developments could benefit me?
It's not as though I haven't had a life-long experience with arthritis. My Mother was diagnosed with arthritis when she was 17 years old. She was able to lead an active, fruitful life as a farm wife. Some of my earliest memories are of her infrequent 'bad days' when she had to stay in bed. At seven years old, Dad would send me in from the barn to 'help Mom get supper.'
I can remember the day when Aunt Grace dropped in to find Mom on the couch coaching me how to make an apple pie. I had the apples peeled, the bottom crust in the pie plate and the apples, cinamon and sugar in. But I couldn't for the life of me get the top crust on. Aunt Grace arrived at about the sixth attempt. We all had a good laugh at my seventh try. When she tried, she said the life had been rolled out of the dough and she couldn't do it either. So she made a second small batch of pastry and with a second set of hands I got the lid on.
The kitchen experience has served me very well throughout my life. My wife Linda was quite inexperieced in the kitchen when we married. As a result, I have done most of the cooking throughout our soon-to-be 40 years of marriage. Pies are still definitely NOT a specialty. Chile is.
The little reminiscence makes me think that arthritis did have a positive influence on my life. Without that forced introduction in the early years, it is doubtful that I would list cooking as one of my special interests.
Now I have to go back and add it to my profile.
To this point it had not occurred to me that there might be a choice of solutions for arthritic knees. My cousins Bruce & Jean have both had knee replacements. Our good friend Diana had both knees replaced a year ago. The operations were very successful for all three and they have encouraged me to get the job done as soon as possible.
The handouts emphasized that the decision is for serious surgery which should not be taken lightly. Success rates are very high but there is pain after the operation, work to rehabilitate and always the chance of infection. I must say that I'm a little less gung ho and must think about the operations more carefully.
One element of the questionnaire was particularly thought provoking. In a series of 4 questions, we are asked to choose, hypothetically, whether for a pain free period of time now would we forego the operations and endure the future pain. It seemed an easy decision to choose 10 or 8 years pain free. But at the 6 and 4 year intervals it became more obvious that the immediate good life wasn't long enough.
On reflection, I think I would answer the questions differently. I wouldn't want to live with the pain I have now when I'm 75 and an operation may be more difficult. However, it is a complicated issue. First of all, who knows whether we will live to 75? Secondly, can we anticipate that there will be significant changes over the next decade which will allow us to 'grow a knee replacement' for example?
Certainly the decision bears more thought. The questionnaire opens a number of points to consider that are much deeper and more philosopical than anticipated. How long to I expect to live and enjoy the current lifestyle? How do I anticipate meeting my family obligations? What near-future developments could benefit me?
It's not as though I haven't had a life-long experience with arthritis. My Mother was diagnosed with arthritis when she was 17 years old. She was able to lead an active, fruitful life as a farm wife. Some of my earliest memories are of her infrequent 'bad days' when she had to stay in bed. At seven years old, Dad would send me in from the barn to 'help Mom get supper.'
I can remember the day when Aunt Grace dropped in to find Mom on the couch coaching me how to make an apple pie. I had the apples peeled, the bottom crust in the pie plate and the apples, cinamon and sugar in. But I couldn't for the life of me get the top crust on. Aunt Grace arrived at about the sixth attempt. We all had a good laugh at my seventh try. When she tried, she said the life had been rolled out of the dough and she couldn't do it either. So she made a second small batch of pastry and with a second set of hands I got the lid on.
The kitchen experience has served me very well throughout my life. My wife Linda was quite inexperieced in the kitchen when we married. As a result, I have done most of the cooking throughout our soon-to-be 40 years of marriage. Pies are still definitely NOT a specialty. Chile is.
The little reminiscence makes me think that arthritis did have a positive influence on my life. Without that forced introduction in the early years, it is doubtful that I would list cooking as one of my special interests.
Now I have to go back and add it to my profile.
how nice that a question on a survey brings up old memories - I look forward to others showing up in your blog.
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