The Light at the End of the Tunnel Shines a Bit Brighter!

I didn't sleep a wink on Tuesday night. I was pinning ALL my hopes on my appointment the next day. I know Paul didn't sleep either. We were both worried that the answer was going to be no, or wait and see, or maybe we should try....

We were up and at 'em at 7am. The kids were fed, watered, washed, dressed and delivered to our friends house to play her kids. We set off for the M25 keeping our fingers crossed that it wasn't going to be the car park that it is renown for. I kept doing my breathing exercises to combat the nausea the tramadol causes when travelling in a car. We gave ourselves 2 hours to get the hospital. The M25 behaved itself and we got to the hospital in just over an hour...impressed! The only parking at the RNOH is for disabled blue badge holders. We found a parking space which couldn't be any further from where we needed to be! I got into the Ferrari and went to find a coffee to settle my nerves.

Coffee drunk, we headed to the outpatients department. The hospital is old and I feel like I am bein wheeled through time. There is a lot of UP!...steep slopes which Paul threatens to let go of me on to see me hurtling to the bottom! I know he was just trying to take my mind off things. On arrival I am sent off for x-rays. X-rays done we wait to see the consultant in the clinic. We chat to a lovely couple who as it turned out actually only live round the corner from us! We are called into the room. The consultant has been called away to an emergency so we see one of his team. This time it's not someone who looks like he has just left school so that's reassuring. He reads my notes, looks at my x-rays and all the MRI results from my previous hospital. My knees are examined...really gently I have to say, and his hands were warm! The doctor umms and arhhhs and my heart sinks, I'm trying desperately not to cry. I explain that if someone offered to cut my legs off above the knees and give me artificial legs I would take them up on the offer because I would be in a better position than I am now.

After more umming and arrhhing and looking again at my MRI results and the report from my last arthroscopic surgery in March he turned to us both and explained that a full knee replacement doesn't have a great success rate in the under 50's....I'm 32...33 next week. My heart sinks a bit further. But he is prepared to do a patella femoral replacement which is a partial knee replacement giving me a new knee cap and new top bit of knee. He explains that this hopefully will buy me a bit of time until I am a more suitable candidate for a full knee replacement. The partial replacement lasts about 20 years which will make me 53 (eeeck!) I asked if I could have both done at the same time but it looks as though the right will be done first and if that's ok then the left will be done. If the right doesn't take then they will consider the full knee replacement. Doctor man informed that he needs to have a chat with Mr Carrington to get his final approval and that I should be getting my first new knee in about 3 months time. So! a great result all round. The news is a very welcomed birthday present and the knees will be a fantastic xmas present!!

I just wanted to share with you all a picture of me from Sunday all dressed up 1950's style for a Buddy Holly evening at our theatre. I got SO many compliments I felt great!

 My rock xxx