May Day

     Way back in March, or was it February, when the date was set for May 21st, surgery  seemed so far away.  Tomorrow will be May 1st, and time for me to gain clearance  from my cardiologist as well as primary care doctor.  Those visits are to be no more than 3 weeks before the surgery.  I suppose I'll have an electrocardiogram, and blood pressure reading and the old breathe in, breathe out drill.  I can't believe ekg's as administered now can be very effective; they last only 90 seconds, hardly time for a heart problem to show up unless you're near death, I would think. The nephrologist I was referred to by the urologist believes I should be taking a different blood-pressure medication than that ordered by my cardiologist.  I haven't broken this news to the cardiologist as yet, not that he'd give a rat's part, but it might be enough to throw him a little.  Moreover, the endocrinologist I was referred to seems to agree with the nephrologist, said that the drug I'm on is the one that was popular in the 1960's.  Maybe I won't tell him that either.    I also may not bring up the fact that 2 of the last 4 opthalmologists I've seen have warned me against the dangers of having my blood pressure drop while I'm asleep, since it could damage my fragile retina.  I also have a question about my extremely elevated CRP level.  The cardiologist usually attributes that to arthritis, not heart disease.  Maybe I won't mention that either.
     I have even less faith in the validity of a visit to my primary doctor; he seems unrushed and interested, sort of, but seems a little indecisive as to what course to embark on if there is a question.  I could go through all of the above issues, and then throw in that I've also had a problem with my teeth, and one tooth's problem is still unresolved, despite visits to dentist, endodontist (2 of them), periodontist, and (alas) oral surgeon.  I could tell him about the kidney stone issues which began 1 year ago, on April 27, which necessitated visits to first the gynocologist, then the ER, referral to urologist, bladder biopsy surgery, ureteroscopy operation, and 2 lithotripsies.    The biopsy was negative, and the stones are finally (almost) gone, I'm told, though I'm not so sure about that.  I was referred from urologist to nephrologist and then endocrinologist because of an elevated parathyroid level, and a low Vitamin D level, and I'm scheduled for further tests for that.  And, I could mention that during last month's colonoscopy, I completely collapsed from what the gastroenterologist said was extreme dehydration (unless I was coming down with the flu--or something.)  He said I had no cancer.  Finally, I did have an annual mammogram and examination, which were normal.  And, oh, a bone density test. And that minor surgical procedure at the dermatologist's where the lesion was diagnosed a harmless actinic keratosis. 
      So when I visit my 2 doctors for pre-surgery clearance, and each asks me how I'm feeling, I'll say fine, as I usually do.  Let them figure it out. 
  

Knee need

Today I had a conversation with a doctor who has no connection to orthopedics (or orthopaedics if you're Greek).  He has heard favorable  things about Dr. Conguista, that he is known to have a good reputation as a surgeon and is very conservative.    Moreover, he said that he is not knife-happy, that of 8 of his patients who consulted Dr. C. he only accepted 2 for the TKR surgery.  Only a favored few have survived the cut, so to speak.  Oh, joy.