The Knee (The Fucking Knee)

Made the decision yesterday to have knee replacement surgery.

Had surgery last April to deal with a torn meniscus. It healed but was never perfect. Often stiff, cracked (like cracking your knuckles) off and on. Still, much better than it was.

Three weeks ago I was walking down the hall when the same knee blew up. Cracked loudly, instantaneous pain and bizarre discomfort. The next day I reverted to the same knee exercises I used after surgery. No results. The knee hurts and it cracks loudly and constantly. It feels alarmingly unstable and uncomfortable.

This is the second year in a row this fucking knee has derailed my commitment to exercise. I am still exercising but have had to dial it way back. As a result I have already gained back 75 of the 15 pounds I lost. If 70 years old is the new 50, then I choose to believe that obesity is the new skinny.

Saw Dr. Mobility yesterday. They took x-rays. He put them up on the screen next to the ones they took last year. I have arthritis, which he told me about last year, but it has progressed. Not pretty. In addition there is a large chunk of the miniscus that has once again broken off and is floating around in the knee.

Best bet is replacement surgery.

I don't mind, in fact I am happy to do it. Others who have gone through this tell me they are very happy with the reults. The knee had hurt for 10 years or more. If the surgery results in no pain I will be able to run my first marathon.

We went to dinner last Saturday night with Phil and Betty, friends we've known forever. The conversation turned to medical ailments, as it always does with the age-advanced. I was talking about everything that hurts. Betty made the observation that some people accumulate aches and pains and more serious ailments as they move along, while others - like Carol - get smacked in the face with serious stuff all at once.

I feel like I am slowly deteriorating at an increasing pace. Slipping into the abyss in an alarmingly subtle way. Not a comfortable thought.

But I'll focus on the positive.

If the knee becomes pain free, I plan on getting me a pogo stick to use around town as I pick up prescriptions and buy beer.

Beer could be problematic, but you cannot get stronger without challenges.