Help/Advice needed please 🙏🏻

Hi Everyone, I’m new on here and I apologise for this very long post. I was wondering whether anyone could give me any help/advice please. I am 47 and have Stage 4 severe Patellofemoral Joint Arthritis in both knees and bone on bone in one knee plus peripheral nerve damage in both legs. They are both severely inflamed and extremely painful. In January, I had an Arthroscopic Medial Meniscal Debridement Chrondroplasty and Open Lateral Facetectomy procedure but unfortunately this didn’t work and seems to of made it worse. I have also had steroid injections but these have had little to no effect. I have been told I need a full knee replacement in the left knee and probably the right one too but I’ve been told I can’t until the severe inflammation has gone down as there could be complications. I am currently taking Naproxen twice daily, 300mg Gabapentin 3 times daily and 60mg Co-codamol. I have tried Tramadol but this makes me feel ‘drunk’ and headachy the next day. I use ice packs all day, everyday but nothing seems to be helping. I haven’t been able to drive for 6 months and all I have done is rest, elevate, apply ice and take medication. I have been signed off from work since January as I work full time in a school with children with social, emotional and behavioural needs so as you can imagine it’s a very demanding job and you are on your feet, running around all day, everyday. I went back in April on a phased return and they kindly made reasonable adjustments for me but I only managed 7 mornings over the course of 3 weeks and I just couldn’t carry on. I am in severe constant pain, my knees are burning, throbbing, stinging, aching with constant pins and needles running through my legs and I have limited mobility. I find it very difficult to walk other than potter around the house at my own speed, taking breaks in between as they flare up and once this happens, it’s very difficult to get them to calm down and if I stand for too long, my legs/knees start to shake. I have had 6 sessions of physio and try to do my daily exercises but the pain limits this. I’ve been referred to the pain management specialist team but have been told the waiting list for this is 12 months plus and for a knee replacement it’s the same waiting time. I am in contact with my place of work who have been very understanding throughout plus I’m in contact with the Occupational Health team. I am now on half pay which is not ideal and I’m worried that I am going to end up losing my job as they can only make short term ‘reasonable adjustments’ and currently I can’t even do these. I just don’t know what to do for the best. I do have a 2nd opinion with another consultant next week who is apparently a ‘Versus Arthritis Champion’ and I’m just praying for some answers. Thank you for taking the time to read this. If anyone is in the same boat or has any help or advice, I look forward to hearing from you soon.