I'm still processing my morning follow-up appointment with Dr. Dye. Again, I tried hard to not set any expectations. My guess was that he would have some additional treatments to attempt before considering anything more invasive. Maybe a cortisone shot or draining the fluid in my knee? I wasn't sure if these were options, but I figured something along these lines could come up. Dr. Dye walked into the exam room and asked me, "So, how is your knee?" I said, "The same as usual." He sighed and said, "Well, it was worth a try." He immediately launched into what he would need to do next to help me. Arthroscopic surgery for a synovectomy. Really? Wow. It was a little surreal to listen to him tell me about the surgery. I didn't think I would be hearing this so soon, but at the same time, Dr. Dye doesn't seem to one to waste a moment. Here are several things I have been thinking about today since my appointment:
1) I feel a little like I've wasted the last 14 months. It looks like I chose the wrong doctor over a year ago. Not that I didn't think Dr. Anderson was the best for me at the time, I had already seen 3 other doctors previous to her! She came highly recommended and seemed to do the most for me, even cared for me and my well being more than anyone else. Two of the other doctors I saw were so rude and condescending. Still, I also realize (as many people have told me) sometimes it takes a long time to find the doctor that can really solve your problem. It's a long process and hopefully one doctor does not make the problem worse before you find another that can really help. Dr. Anderson didn't make my knee worse, it just didn't get better.
2) Dr. Dye said after the synovectomy, I need to expect a year and half before I'm back to regular activity and exercise. Dr. Anderson and my past physical therapists said I could be back to running 3 to 4 months after the scope, which didn't turn out to be true in any way. If anything, they probably pushed me to fast into exercises that caused too much load on my knee. Dr. Dye said he requires a much slower healing time and does not allow his patients to jump back into their old activities too soon.
3) I'm not sure if I even have a choice here. As I have recently learned, Synovitis is not a benign condition. The inflammation in my knee does not seem as if it will dissipate on it's own. I understand that over time if I leave the inflammation where it is, it will eventually start to break down the cartilage in my knee. That is bad. As I'm sitting here writing this post, I can feel the familiar burning sensation inside my knee. It would be more healthy and much more comfortable for that to finally be gone.
Those things said, I haven't made a final decision and am planning to let this information settle in for a few days. I'm going to call Dr. Dye's assistant who should be able to tell me how much this surgery will cost. Not that money should be a part of my decision (my health is most important), but I need to know what I may need to plan to save over the next few months if I choose the surgery route again. Unfortunately, Dr. Dye is an out-of-network doctor for me, but the hospital fees will be covered by my insurance. Dr. Dye said he requires his patients to stay one night in the hospital after the scope. That way he can monitor the first critical 24 hours of healing much more carefully than if he sent a patient home. Interesting... I've only been in the hospital for outpatient procedures, usually less than 12 hours. Hospital food, anyone?
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