I decided to write The New Knee Boogie as a glimpse into the knee replacement procedure from a patient’s perspective. I feel this series of posts might help people who are faced with the need to have this operation done.
How I came to do The New Knee Boogie dance
I’ll admit I’m not in love with the idea of the operation. I’ve been putting this off for at least six years. Walking helped me delay the inevitable. My physical therapist said when I stopped walking during sheltering in place last spring and summer created a perfect storm scenario. The muscles relaxed, and my knee went bone on bone.
I’ve known I’ve needed a knee replacement for several years now. Arthritis took a toll on the cartilage. Getting old isn’t for wimps. Plus, I’m clumsy, and I tend to fall. It’s a tradition I take a tumble every time we go to New Orleans. The last time Rooster and I visited the Cresent City, I took a nosedive after the final act at The French Quarter Music Fest. I twisted my ankle in the parking lot on the way to the car. So, I’m a clutz with bad knees.
The problem that convinced me I needed surgery is I’m also in a lot of pain. The discomfort I’d lived with for so long has now turned into a raging inferno of agony.
Events that led up to The New Knee Boogie
My Tango with the scalpel started back in October. I went back to work after being furloughed due to COVID intending to get back into my walking plan. My routine at work has a built-in walking schedule. The stacks in the university library are a perfect place to get steps in during my lunch hour. When I went back to work, I tried to keep up my five miles a day, but I failed miserably. I walked my normal path a couple of days before realizing I was fighting a losing battle with pain.
I made an appointment with an orthopedic clinic in Indianapolis. My family has a relationship with Ortho Indy. The doctor who treated Rooster after he broke his leg practices there. My son broke an ankle and had several surgeries at the facility. They also don’t shut down during spikes in COVID. I thought maybe they might have something that might help me without the need to use a knife.
The first solution Doctor Pain had for me in The New Knee Boogie
I received an injection of steroids in the knee. (This is not my doctor’s real name. I changed it to give him anonymity.) It should have lasted for four months, but I only experienced relief for a week. I waited to call for another appointment, thinking the pain might get better. When I couldn’t sleep through the night, I went to see him again. Since the shot didn’t work, my next option is surgery.
In conclusion
I Want to admit upfront that I am a big chicken. Surgery is at the top of my “Things I hate[MS1] to-do list” right next to flying. I’m inviting you to come along with me on my journey through the pain to the promised land of a new knee. The New Knee Boogie is the first stop on the road to recovery.
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
Be sure to follow Molly on Twitter!
Best of luck on the journey
Thank you.