A Step in the Right Direction.

I had the x-ray of my lower back and hips yesterday. I can't complain about the efficiency of the service at all - for the first time ever at this hospital I had no problems parking which meant that I arrived way too early for my appointment. I was called in as soon as I walked into the waiting room, the x-ray was taken and I was driving home before the actual appointment time! The results should be available in about ten days.

At home, with a coffee and my lifestyle lists, I was trying to decide the best way to start walking daily without making my knee any worse. I spent a while researching the cost of gym membership but, to be honest, I'm not convinced that I'd go often enough to justify the expense and I'd also need to assess my post-retirement budget to see how much cash could be set aside for this. I was interrupted by the phone, which I nearly didn't answer because it was a withheld number, but luckily I did. It was the physiotherapy department at the local hospital who reminded me that my doctor had referred me for physio on my knee - it'd taken so long I'd completely forgotten about it! Anyway, after the initial confusion about x-rays (I thought she was talking about the one I'd had that morning but she was talking about the one I'd had weeks ago on my knee!), I had a long conversation with her about what the problem is (she's going to deal with hips as well as knees without another referral) and what I hoped to get out of physio. She doesn't recommend the gym at this stage but will send a leaflet of exercises I can start doing at home and will arrange for me to join a weekly exercise group that she runs at the hospital. I'm not sure how long this will continue but it'll be a good way to start exercising again and more importantly, a safer way with proper supervision. 

I feel quite relieved that this is going to happen. The sooner I can walk without pain, the better. It impacts on every aspect of my life so I'm happy to know that I can start doing what needs to be done. 

Later, I was thinking about the fact that I'd completely forgotten about the referral. I usually have a good memory for this sort of thing so it's out of character for me. I was just wondering what else I'd forgotten when another conversation with my doctor that I'd forgotten about just came to mind - when he reduced to one day a week he recommended the best doctor for me to see if I needed an appointment in his absence. Cue another even bigger feeling of relief - I'll go with his recommendation and see how it goes.

Comments

  1. It sounds as if things are falling into place quite well, doesn't it, and nice to have the info that means you can make an informed decision about the gym - for now, at least.
    I found I did have more 'available' money that I thought I would have but that knowledge came after retirement and living the life for a year or so. I'm sure you will be the same.
    J x

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    1. Thanks Joy. I'm sure I'll be okay financially once I retire. I won't be using anywhere near as much petrol for one thing, and I've reduced expenses by changing gas and electricity supplier recently, plus I've had a pension increase. It's more a case of being sure I have enough for any new 'extras' - the gym, for example, will be an extra £40 a month to find.

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  2. Yeah for you with the physio referral coming through. While our physio therapist at the clinic I work at, doesn't conduct fitness classes, I often hear his recommendations to patients & hip to knee are very connected, ours believes fix the hip & most often the knee problems get fixed because the big joints like hip will compensate for pain/difficulty moving. All things are moving in the proper direction for you.

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  3. That's good news about the physiotherapy and supervised exercises to start with. The gym membership can come at a later date, if you decide you want to do that. As for seeing if there will be enough funds for extras, one way might be to take that gym membership fee (and an additional amount for other extras, perhaps) out of your monthly budget and see if you can manage on the remaining funds. Hope it all works out well for you.

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    1. That's a good idea. In the end I'll know whether I can afford it and, on the plus side, I can treat myself with the money I'll have saved. Thanks Bless.

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  4. Hooray for two little bits of good fortune! I love it when that happens. Hope the supervised class works well and puts you on the path to being able to get back into walking again.

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    1. Thank you. I'm looking forward to taking some positive action to resolve the problem.

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  5. That's good about the physio. I hope it helps. Pain is such an insidious thing and something that others can't always see.

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    1. Fingers and everything else crossed that it does help as I don't want to rely on painkillers all the time. I miss the regular walking as well. Even though I was only doing it for a few months, the regular activity made a big difference to how I was feeling both physically and mentally.

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