Now I wait ...

GraceB

... for the results of my ankle MRI that I had yesterday. After having my ankle fixed into one position for 25 minutes with what felt to be a sandbag over the top I was in a lot of pain afterwards.

My consultant will review the scans this week and apparently I should hear next week when I go back to see him in clinic. When I went 15th April he needed the report from my previous ankle surgeon from my op in 2011 plus MRI as he feels my issues are cartilage and the subtalar joint.

I am braced to be told that this needs fusing (having been warned 2011 that this was likely to be the next stage for this ankle).

I have a reminder on my phone to phone the consultant's secretary next Tuesday if I haven't heard anything by then. I just have to hope I don't have to wait too long for the clinic appt. I will ask to go on the cancellation list for the clinic appts (doing this cut my MRI wait by 3.5 weeks). I am struggling with this joint now quite a lot - hence wanting to know what's what.

Ah well, must try to be patient now ...

GraceB

stickywicket

Your doc is being thorough in getting the report on the previous ankle and that has to be a good thing. I sense a reluctance combined with resignation on your part and I recognise that feeling :roll: At least you'll know the ropes and the drill. Maybe time to start thinking about how to cope post-op?

theresak

Grace, I hope you don`t have to wait long for your results, and I`m glad you`ve got the MRI over with.

barbara12

Hello Grace, it always helps to have a good consultant, and like you say you just want something done now to alleviate the pain..good luck with everything and I hope you don't have long to wait..x

GraceB

Thanks for your replies.

Sticky - you are spot on with my reluctance to have this done. I know that this needs to be done but it's how I'll cope afterwards that's the reason for my reluctance.

I now shop online, and order meds for myself, my partner and my widowed elderly mother online so would have home deliveries from the pharmacy my mum's scripts go to, plus the one that we use.

My friends who live locally have offered to help with thing such as housework and bed changing. I drive an automatic car so would hope to be driving essential local journeys by two weeks post op. I have an office chair that I can put in the kitchen to deal with getting washing from the washing machine to the tumbler. I can also use that for cooking with, dealing with the dishwasher, etc. In short, 80% of what I currently do will have to still be done by myself. This is why I've delayed this but I cannot delay any longer.

Getting out regularly (both to work part time at the start of the week) and regularly other times keeps me sane and being stuck indoors is going to be so frustrating.

I have a perching stool for the bathroom and my partner recently managed to install a drop down rail for me by the toilet (I have a grab rail on the wall so now have support both sides). That rail took him a week to get into place, and exhausted him - he has M.E., (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) as well as progressive prostate cancer.

I also support my mum with a variety of tasks. Some of these I can allocate out but although the younger members of the family all "want Nan to stay in her home", with the exception of one nephew, none of them bother to help and I've had a variety of excuses as to why the others can't do bits and bobs. The one nephew who does help now works in London during the week so is limited to weekends.

My two surviving siblings both live well away from Kent so can't assist. My brother is in the Midlands; my older sister is in Derbyshire and is disabled and practically housebound herself.

So, you can see the challenges I have facing me. I am sure however that I will find ways around the majority of these challenges; the remainder just won't get done. I have excellent organisational and planning skills so this will be an ideal chance to use them. I think all of us with arthritis - regardless of the type - tend to be resourceful and innovative people. We have to be - we have no choice!

Take care,
GraceB