21. Operations Are Like Buses

Unfortunately, although the x-rays got to the hospital the results of the nerve tests didn’t. The ortho doctor said the bone that had appeared didn’t seem to be having any affect and for a 23-year-old prosthetic joint it was doing extremely well, it didn’t seem to have moved at all so certainly didn’t need a revision operation.

I said that my problem was getting worse as my other fingers were now affected and I also had a burning sensation in my fingers.

She said the Cubital Tunnel Syndrome was bad enough so they would put me on the waiting list for an operation. She said they would open up the roof of the tunnel (decompression) or move the nerve into a new location at the front of the elbow (transposition) and maybe widen the tunnel by removing some of its bony floor (medial epicondylectomy). What they would actually do would be decided once they had opened up my arm.

I signed the consent form and asked how long I might have to wait and she said it would probably be about 3 to 4 months. Therefore, from the start of the symptoms to getting the operations maybe just over one year which must be a world record.

A couple of weeks later we were back at the Conquest for my appointment about my left hip. Before I saw the doctors I was sent for some new x-rays (they’re learning), which was extremely painful.

I was also weighed and had my BMI checked. Then when I saw the doctor, he said he would put me on the waiting list but I had to try to reduce my BMI as much as I could as it would prevent problems during my op and help my recovery afterwards.

See operations are like buses you wait years for one and then two come along together!