Knee Surgery, 9

Well, I have a whole new set of exercises, most of which come with a pain factor increase, but nothing that seems to make any great leap forward in either mobility or pain (fortunately for the latter). Yet. But, of course, it’s still very early days.

It’s difficult to be patient or optimistic when every little thing is still a struggle. I’m sure Susan’s patience wears thin during the day when I have to ask for things to be brought, picked up, removed, moved further, moved closer… yeah, yeah, I’m whining again. I should concentrate more on the accomplishments so far and on achieving the next goal. For example, this morning I rode to the hospital in the passenger seat rather than the back. Awkward and painful, but that’s how it will be from now on.

I have spent too long this week hunting online for a small (12.5 cm/5″ high) footstool for a couple of those new exercises (to use instead of my books). An athletic stepper would work but for some reason (aka ‘marketing’) these cost two-three times the same as a small stepstool. At least they do at the very, very few local stores that sell one. You’d think with so many knee and hip surgeries done here, there would be a larger market for them or an alternative. Or perhaps I have not looked into all possible sources. It’s small piece of plastic, not some complex tech equipment. It should be relatively inexpensive, not cost more than a DVD player or game controller.

Eventually, I had to succumb to buying on Amazon, simply because no one locally had what I wanted (although I could get one for about double what Amazon sold one for out of town). Damn, but I dislike using that company — Bezos, aside from being egregiously lavish in his lifestyle while aggressively trampling workers’ right, is also a MAGA Trump sycophant. Aside from that, we’re trying to boycott as many US products and services these days. Elbows up, Canada! The USA is no longer our ally, and the dictator Trump has threatened both our economy and our sovereignty… but I digress.

The swelling is still there, and when I walk, it feels like my leg is in a stiff metal restrainer. My lower leg has a lot of dark bruises on both sides of the leg. At times, they looked like bizarre, pseudo-Celtic tattoos. The bruises on my upper thigh have been going through a slow range of colour changes, a bit like a sunset; purples, reds, oranges, and yellows.

I have a TENS machine. That’s a “transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation” device, or basically a controllable/programmable battery that releases small, timed electrical charges. I’ve used it before my surgery, mostly on my pre-op knee. Medical News says, “The electrical impulses flood the nervous system, reducing its ability to transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and brain.” Okay… that sounds like something I’d like right now. Can I use it now to reduce the pain from my knee and incision? Do I have to wait for the staples to be removed? Where on my leg is it safe or recommended to use it? No, I can’t ask my surgeon because he and his office are on vacation until next week. Sigh.

I have to be more diligent when pulling my knee to the best bend possible. The physio nurse advised me to pull it harder this morning at my latest session. That’s to break up the scar tissue that’s forming, which, I assume, is meant to prevent the flesh from congealing into mobility-reducing fibres.

On the plus side, of course, is that, being a Canadian, the surgery and hospital time, plus all the appointments with doctors, X-rays and blood tests, are covered by our universal health care. My total cost to date has been about $250 for equipment rental and purchase, pain medication, and hospital parking. Sources vary, but it seems the average cost in the USA is  $32,570, but can range between $15,000 and up to $70,000 USD. And, as one site says, “Your hospital bill may or may not include the cost of preliminary physical therapy and rehabilitation sessions.” And then there is the cost of the medication… maybe also not covered. But it may “Includ[e] room fee, nurse fee, food, pre-op tests, medical supplies, medication, operating room fee, x-rays, and consultation.”

The same site notes:

When accounting for labor, equipment, medicine, and other costs, it is estimated that healthcare providers spend between $8,000 and $11,000 on knee replacement surgery. The cost passed on to the patient can be nearly 10 times as much.
This cost mismatch is one of the reasons that medical tourism is appealing to many prospective patients. Knee or hip replacement surgery in countries such as Mexico, India, and Taiwan can be more affordable not only because of labor costs, but also because healthcare providers simply don’t up-charge as much as those in the United States. Prices in many of these countries are strictly regulated by their national health systems, so hospitals are forced to make do with slimmer profit margins.

As with my prostate surgery, we simply would not have had the money for this. So you can take my whining about recovery with a grain of salt. I am fortunate to have been able to avail myself of our healthcare system.

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