I had a phone call this morning (Saturday) from an unknown number. As per usual, not recognizing the number, I rejected it only to get a voice mail immediately afterwards.
Checking the VM, I discovered that it was from the knee clinic so, hoping for some news about my op, I called back.
The lady at the other end, after the usual security questions, asked if I still wanted to go ahead with my procedure. A bit of a no brainer, really, so I replied in the affirmative.
”Are there any dates that you can’t do?” She enquired, “holidays etc?”
I told her that I was pretty free.
”Okay”, she came back, “Can you come in on …”
I waited, expecting some date in November or December as hinted at by my consultant.
”… September the first !”
”Oh yes” I answered.
”It’ll be in the afternoon – so can you get here for twelve?”
As this date is only just over three weeks away, I asked if this was for the actual procedure (unlikely, I thought) or the pre-op.
”Oh, It’s for the procedure” I was informed, “We’ll send you details of the pre-op” and went on to confirm my email.
Well that was a lot earlier than we were expecting.
To prepare, we need to have a bit of a sort out at home, namely putting a bed in the ground floor gym (not that we’ve got gyms on other floors) so I’m close to a toilet.
WOW !
Update 1
Sue reminded me that I had had my Cortisone injection just five weeks ago and the general consensus is that, to minimise the risk of infection, a period of at least twelve weeks should occur before any surgery.
Going with the date I was given, that would only be just under nine weeks. I’m assuming that the person sorting out the appointments wasn’t aware of this so I’ll need to contact the clinic when it reopens on Monday.
Realistically, I’ll then be looking at the 24th September at the earliest – probably later as the consultant did hint at waiting six months which would knock it back until the end of November.
Update 2
All my hopes have been dashed.
I emailed the clinic first thing (or even before) and left a message explaining my predicament.
Mid morning, I missed a phone call but caught the resulting voicemail which asked me to call the clinic which I did after I’d finished driving up to Buxton (another story).
I called back and was put through to the same person as I’d spoken to on Saturday, so hopefully she’d have some idea what I was after.
She told me that she had been in touch with the consultant and confirmed the six months which would, according to her calculations, put me into January. Unfortunately, the lists are out for that far ahead but has made a note to contact me once they are.