Waiting for TKR SURGERY

MartinD

Hi, I'm 54 years old and had a R knee replacement 5 years ago, which has been great.I should have had my L one done 2 years ago, but was cancelled due to pandemic.

Now in the position of excruciating knee pain,and have developed painful periformis syndrome as a consequence of me limping and altered gait.I now have to use a walking stick and still have to work,and my employers have made reasonable adjustments, but to avoid being processed through a next stage of attendance management process ,I'm burning up annual leave to try and remain at work. I feel emotionally and physically vulnerable ,and I'm so angry.I feel disadvantaged like so many others,that the government made processes available for people who had covid and subsequently long covid,that they wouldn't experience financial or attendance at work deficits as a consequence of illness.No such consideration has been given to the thousands of people in my situation,that had surgery cancelled during the pandemic period and have now become disabled and live with daily excruciating pain.Ironically ,I'm an NHS nurse, who worked throughout the pandemic, and never received any furlough pay. I'm now deployed to an admin role, which still requires working out of hours, nightshifts etc. but my employers have no policies which entitles me to reduced hours without me being financially penalised.It nakes me so angry, that if I had money

to go private, I could have surgery next week, performed by the same NHS surgeons !! It's an inhumane situation that I and others should be suffering to the extent we are.

noddingtonpete

Hello @MartinD and welcome to the community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that you will find that as well.

I understand your frustration about waiting for the operation. It is an all too common story. I've put a link below to an article on our website which has some info about ways to reduce knee pain. You may have tried them all but worth a look.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/knee-pain/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/april/top-tips-to-help-knee-pain/

I hope that you get the operation soon and please do keep posting and let us know how you are getting on. I am sure others will connect with you to share their thoughts and experiences as well.

With very best wishes

Peter (moderator)

MartinD

Thanks Peter

stickywicket

@MartinD, I'm sorry. I have nothing to offer other than sympathy for your plight, empathy with the pain and both immense gratitude for all you and your colleagues have done not only during the pandemic but also, via various hospitals, to get me through several operations. You are quite right that it's wrong.

The only things I can suggest, which have helped me through bad patches, are exercises, friends, laughter and distraction. Oh, and when all else fails, pills.

I know I once suggested to someone on here to try GoFundMe. I don't know if they did try it or if it helped.

Good luck.

MartinD

Thankyou all for your kind words.I love my job as a nurse and look forward again to be delivering care again post op.Its an injustice that our government are not making provision for all of us who had surgery cancelled.Meds take the edge off but doesn't take the pain away.Im lucky that I have a good family, but for the first time in my life,I feel so emotionally and physically vulnerable.Im sure many of you will resonate with these feelings