I am in France to stay for 4 months. Even tho we are a very close knit family this is still a long time to move in with your daughter , husband and three children . Plus they all insisted that the dog come with me, she is not a small little creature, but is quite a substantial size such that she is hard to ignore. She takes up space in the house and in the minds of the family.
My reason for the extended stay is medical. For some while now , after a nasty accident in a boat, my left knee became inflamed, aching and nasty. Of course you first go to your GP who tells you that it will be ages before you can see anyone wise in the way of knees, maybe an X-ray ? Take advil and tylenol. No great information from the X-ray except to say that there is evidence of bone on bone so no wonder it hurts. Is there any solution? No, wait to see the experts. Perhaps an MRI, wait 8 months to have on on the social medicine route.
Meanwhile, more pain, swelling, Bakers Cysts.. large unpleasant. Swollen leg, swollen knee. Walk it out, but no, that increases the swelling. Go to Physio, but you need a doctors referral.
Life must go on, so driving holiday with friend, a month driving, home with bottom of leg as large at the top of the leg, is it a D V T.. thank heavens no, but then an arranged, well in advance of the problem another trip. walking difficult and slow but carry on. Then christmas with families, none of them where I live so more air planes and now very increase in pain and feeling of incapacitation.
Finally, see the knee expert.. arthoscopy, definitely the answer.. in two months he says, hobble out of office to see nurse who laughs sarcastically saying.. you will lucky if it is not 8 months.
Paid to see another knee expert.. no arthopscopy says he, durolane, cortisone. A brace.
I wear a brace on the other knee, have done for 8 years.. am used to it, and it works. Ok said I,
a brace. The brace is different from the first and has a cross piece which irritated the knee cap, change the brace to match other, but now am walking like a duck, they rub they cause my hips to ache. Cannot wear them together.. each brace cost 1400 dollars.. not a small sum for such a bad result.
More pain now, cannot walk 3 kilometres.. cannot dig.. have large garden..fortunately there are people who will help, but it is not quite the same.
No more keep fit, which I did twice a week, no Zumba.. no tango.. no kayaking.. no climbing. Family comes, 10 - 14 of us for 6 weeks, everyone helps. Visit specialist again, who says, well maybe we shall go straight to the knee replacement. OK.. but when… just says, we will put you on the list.
Had an MRI, privately.
Another summer, still with wickedly painful knee, family comes, 10 to 14 people for 6 weeks or so, lots of talk about how all three of my adult children will come to help me if I have surgery. For all all 3 of them it present difficulties, all have children, and busy lives, and jobs and spouses and such like. Also I live a 6 hour plane ride for some and 18 hours for others.. it is long journey and a long absence for them from their families.
Again, receptionist calls, no putting on list until you have been assessed by joint/bone clinic. Then anticipated wait another 12 to 18 months. Meanwhile, life is speeding up, birthdays are increasing into the high decades.. how long do I stay sedentary.. you read that you lose muscle tone quickly without use.
Arthritic clinic, great advice and good exercises, they review the MRI and all are horrified, apparently the knee is in terrible shape… that is good news in a way, as it means that I have not been imagining the whole thing.. I usually am not one to give in, but maybe I was justified.
Maybe I should go to the private guy again.
My daughter who lives in France said, if you are going to go private why not consider the medical tourism site . She had heard that France was offering surgical services to foreigners.
The Medical Tourism site leads you to France Surgery.
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