Just have to whinge sorry. I know there are people worse off than me, but everything is dropping to bits. I have been one step forwards, two step backwards with my knee problems for the last year. Setback last September and never really go going again with walking after that (I can potter in one room a little bit). Using a wheelchair and mobility scooter now. Had a big push to try and get an orthopaedic referral this year, which meant going via physio as GP wouldn't refer. Physio exercises stopped me walking at all! I had pain after them every time. So I have spent a large part of the time mostly on top of the bed this year. Apart from occasional pottering in one room then resting.
I still have an undiagnosed right rib cage problem. Something goes big time if I bend over - then I can't move at all - takes a few weeks to settle again.
But aside from this I felt quite well in myself.
Physio still wouldn't refer me to Orthopaedics. said they won't do surgery because of your age (it's not arthritis so not eligible for knee replacements). I'm mid sixties - not old! And that I was "deconditioned" - muscles.
Which is really annoying because of course I'm deconditioned because I didn't get to see orthopaedics early enough and can't walk!
Anyway I bit the bullet recently and phoned Southampton NHS cartilage clinic to ask if there was an age limit for stem cell injections (cartilage repair). Spoke to a Consultant's secretary who was very helpful and said it is usually younger patients but there's no age limit as such but it would depend on all kinds of criteria. I told her I can't walk and can't get surgery and she seemed to be quite helpful then and said - ask for a referral and we'll consider you. GP won't refer me.
So my long shot was - keep going to the NHS physio, get them to refer me to Orthopaedics and then get Orthopaedics to refer me to Southampton.
Success! Last week I pushed and said Southampton said to get a referral. Physio gave way and said ok I'll refer you to orthopaedics. But she also gave me two new physio exercises to do.
Well that was a disaster. Any positive success was short-lived. I kept telling her I have this right side rib problem but they said you're only referred for your knees.
This new exercise involved pushing my middle up off the bed. I did what I was told and did it a couple of times while there. Well it felt like my rib cage had dislocated afterwards. I was right back to square one with torn muscles, pain everywhere and couldn't move. So was stuck in bed immobile for a week.
Right over Easter week-end. Then the first time I stood up to get out of bed to go to the loo (I can walk that far, it's next to the bedroom). My right foot was suddenly incredibly painful and I couldn't put it down.
I also have a bad left foot. So that's two knackered knees, a knackered left foot, knackered right rib cage. And now a knackered right foot as well.
Been to A&E for an x ray - possibly a stress fracture but it won't show up straight away so have to go back in a couple of weeks.
That just about finished me off as I can't even stand on it now! Stuck back in bed again getting more muscle wastage. And probably need a commode.
I just really want to get out of the bedroom! I haven't quite worked out how I can do anything without standing on it.
Orthopaedic appointment for knees is next week and I can't even stand to get from a wheelchair to an examination couch!
Anyway I'm not one to feel sorry for myself. And I don't but it's a bit scary not being able to stand and I am fed up of pushing with Dr's and physios just to get something looked at and some help, and fed up of medical things.
I just want to stop pushing for appointments and going to appointments and just have a bit of a life - however minimal that is - and just think about something else!
Oh and I forgot the cystitis. The few days I couldn't get to the loo (before going to A&E - should have gone earlier .......) I was using a "contraption" in the bedroom instead and probably hung on too long - so then got cystitis too.
I could do with something positive happening. I had just bought a small powerchair to use downstairs so I could get around the house and at least feel part of normal life, and so OH didn't have to push me in the wheelchair. And now I can't even get downstairs to it!
But really I just feel demoralised that basically if I hadn't been pushing really hard this year, I just felt thrown on the scrap heap. All I've been getting from GP for three years is - do physio. I think if I'd had surgery at the start I might still be walking.
I’m not medical but it seems to me that incurring so many different injuries in a relatively short space of time might have an underlying cause. Surely it’s not normal to be so incapacitated in one’s mid-60’s without something triggering it. 