From the last post…12/4/2022 And, there was good news and some surprising news. I got to the doctors office and right away they took x-rays. The results were “Evidence of end stage bilateral knee OA, L>R. Evidence of complete joint
space narrowing. Evidence of osteophyte formation. Evidence of cyst formation“

I had no idea that my right knee was as bad. I guess I’ve been so focused on my left that it never occurred to me that I might have other issues.

The term “end stage” was a bit freaky. That sounds to me like I should be bedridden or something.

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12/17/2022

So, I’ve scheduled the surgery but i don’t have a specific time yet – I do have a date and a date for follow up and dates for physical therapy.

My dental clearance didn’t go well yesterday.

The new dentist never got my multi-page form and asked me for it in several emails and texts.  I had filled it out as soon as I made the appointment and emailed a copy which they never got. Fortunately, I printed it out.

The parking situation was bad, I hadn’t considered that it was a mall-type place and just before Christmas. After circling the buildings a few times, I had to park in a parking garage and walk. Remember, I’m doing this because of knee surgery.

I got to the building and…I was stuck in the elevator. I tried pushing any and all buttons but I never moved. Finally, I called the office and told them I was in the elevator and they sent someone out who pushed the button on the second floor and I started moving up.

The receptionist didn’t know who I was or why I was there but I had that 8-page printout of their form. I was surprised to see a bowl of candy canes on the main desk – really?

I finally went back and was (very slightly) calmed by the fact that the background music was Mannheim Steamroller.

I told the dental assistant what she would have known had they seen/read my form: I have been terrified of dentists since I was thrown out of one when I was a child (I’ll share more about this later), I have a very small mouth and a bad gag reflex.

She did the preliminary xrays and finally, the real dentist came in. She never looked at me but told my back that she wouldn’t approve me for surgery because there was a “lot of work she wanted to do first.”

I escaped to the front desk and the printer was broken. No receipt for my payment and no copy of a treatment plan. The person assured me that she would email them to me.

I was very leery of that elevator, so I took the stairs and walked back to my car.

Friday and Saturday and neither the treatment plan or the receipt for payment ever arrived.

I tried to log into their system to see if I could get the info that way and I’m not listed as a patient. It did ask me to fill out the forms…again.

Along about now, I decided that this wasn’t the dental practice for me so I found a new dentist, located way closer, on the first floor, in my old bank. I see him Monday. For a person terrified of the dentist seeing 2 in 2.5 days is amazing. I must really want to get my knee fixed!

On Saturday night, reject-dentist asked for a review. I’m waiting for new-dentist to be sure I’m not going back before I fill it out but I don’t think they’ll want to see what I have to say!

When getting dressed on Sunday morning, I found a small cut on my lip, possibly from Friday’s visit and then a filling fell out. Hmmm. Was she creating some of the work she wanted to do?

Monday, new dentist. I got to the new, closer dentist and they also had candy out in the waiting room. Also, they didn’t get my new patient forms and this is starting to look like a rerun.

They took me back and the receptionist was very kind and gentle and she listened to my bad dentist stories from long ago and last Friday.

More x-rays, the dentist came in and he talked to me, too. After the review and in-mouth checkup, he also wants to do a lot of work BUT he is working around my upcoming cruise and he thinks he can get this done so I can keep my surgery schedule. What a change from reject-dentist.

Unfortunately, that means I get a root canal and crown later today. But still. More after he actually does some work!

My TKR (total knee replacement) surgery is scheduled for 2/2, which is Groundhog Day. I’ve been telling people I hope it doesn’t mean I have to keep repeating my surgery! Now, it seems I keep repeating dental visits, too.

Later Monday, December 19, 2022 – the afternoon wasn’t as bad as I remembered partly because somehow, my root canal had closed up. The dentist said that was “good news and bad news” because I had saved myself from the full treatment today AND saved a bit of money – like $1000. I guess the bad news is if i ever get decay under my new crown, I won’t have any pain to let me know. Sounds like good news to me.

Interestingly, the beginning of the crown the muted tv was showing the same program as the tv at reject-dentist. Maybe there’s a Dental TV station?

My next dentist thing is “just” a cleaning on December 28 and a tentative permanent crown on January 3.

Hopefully, no more knee related issues until then.

Meanwhile, it’s Wednesday night and Reject-Dentist still hasn’t sent a treatment plan or called to discuss it yet.

This post is officially done…for now