[Rhodes22-list] My Left Knee Replacement Got Delayed & Rescheduled

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Hi All,

As many of you know, I have been waiting all winter to get my left knee replaced.  My surgery was finally going to happen last Monday, March 21st.  But, they gave me a rapid response COVID test at the hospital the morning of the surgery and I tested positive.  Despite having no symptoms, they sent me home.  From home, I contacted my family doctor and she thought it might have been a false positive.  So, she sent me to Gladwin Hospital for a  Cobas 6800 SARS-CoV-2 test.  This test has to be sent out to a central lab facility for evaluation, which takes longer; but, it’s much more accurate vs. the rapid response test.  Sure enough, the test result came back negative!  So, I contacted my orthopedic surgeon.  COVID created a huge backlog for surgical procedures in the hospitals.  Because of this stupid unreliable test, I lost my place in line and the next available surgical date is May 23rd.  That’s 2 months away!  I was supposed to be pretty much recovered by then, not just having the surgery.  Despite the situation, they wouldn’t bump me up in line.  They did tell me they would call me if there was a cancellation, but not to get my hopes up.

Oh well, at least I don’t have COVID!  I’m scheduled to get a cortisone shot in my left knee next week, which should help a little.

This situation throws cold water on a family High Adventure Trip this summer.  We’ll see how I’m doing by mid July; but, that’s awfully late in the year to be reserving campsites for that summer.

Sigh, I’m bummed.  I hope everybody else’s week is going better than this.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium


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