On Crutches

For many years my left knee has been slowly failing and at the beginning of this year the specialist at Trelissick in Truro told me that the remedy was a complete new knee.

After discussing things with him we agreed that we would go and cruise Brittany for the summer returning in time for an operation at the beginning of the winter.

I went for a 'pre operation check' in September and was cleared to have the operation in St Michaels hospital in Hayle. You need to be perfectly fit for an operation in one of these smaller hospitals, I presume because they don't have the emergency facilities of the larger hospitals. Anyway I was fit enough.

I suddenly had a call as there was an appointment for the 6th October. This was just a week away so I didn't have as much abstinence time as they had recommended!!!

Friends took Mo and I to the Hospital for 0700 and I was in having the op by 1030.

The surgeon and all the staff at St Michaels are wonderful.

No operation is something to be looked forward too but I found it to be an experience that far surpassed what I had expected in a good way.

I had very little pain and was out of bed the next morning walking with a 'Zimmer' frame and later crutches. By that night I could walk to the loo on my own and the next day was discharged being taken back to Ti Gitu by friends.

The nurses and physiotherapists said that as I had been doing strengthening exercises for the last two years that helped towards me recovering quickly.

So here we are in Falmouth and I am being looked after fantastically by Mo who takes Granddad for an airing along the pontoon on crutches a couple of times a day.

Hopefully all will continue to progress well and I will be back to normal in a few months. (Mo says not to threaten her!!!)