Mahinder
Mahinder was having pain and limited mobility in his right knee. He was cautious about having knee surgery because of a previous heart infection, but eventually felt mentally and physically up to it. Mahinder had a total replacement of his right knee, which he is “quite happy” with six months on.
Mahinder is married, and has three children and five grandchildren. He is a retired social care manager and also previously an engineer. His ethnicity is British Indian.
More about me...
Mahinder had a painful right knee, in addition to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a heart murmur. He currently takes ramipril and amlodipine for his blood pressure and simvastatin for his cholesterol, and considers these well controlled. Previously, he was diagnosed with anaemia, but this was resolved with B12 injections and tablets. In 2012, Mahinder had endocarditis (inflammation of the inner lining of the heart), which left him with a leaky mitral valve. He has concerns about ongoing issues with his teeth that increased the risk of infection from bacteria getting into his bloodstream. He was offered surgery to repair his leaky heart valve, but felt too weak for this to be done safely. Because of his heart problems, Mahinder had been trying to avoid any unnecessary surgeries, including knee surgery.
When he was younger, Mahinder twisted his knee and ruptured the cartilage. He had surgery to repair this, but he thinks it may have had long-term effects on his knee. Mahinder first went to see his doctor about his right knee ten years ago. He had an MRI and was recommended surgery based on the results. After originally being sent to a private hospital under the NHS, Mahinder was told that he wouldn’t be eligible because of having heart disease. Mahinder then attended an appointment at an NHS hospital, where he was advised that he should wait a year to see how his knee was doing in case it improved. He followed this advice. Following weakness from intensive antibiotic treatment for endocarditis, Mahinder started to eat much more protein. This helped a lot with his knee pain and it didn’t start to bother him again for another six years.
When his right knee started to feel weak again, Mahinder saw an NHS physiotherapist. His physiotherapist recommended that he continue walking to let his knee sort itself out. This didn’t work though, and led to soreness and inflammation. Mahinder then saw a chiropractor privately, who took X-rays and advised that he reconsider surgery. After seeing his GP about the scans, Mahinder was told he had severe arthritis on one side, and wear and tear damage on the other side of his knee.
Before his knee surgery, Mahinder was taking paracetamol or aspirin before leaving the house to manage his pain. He was also taking co-codamol at night, as he felt this helped with inflammation. Mahinder was concerned about his liver and kidney function, so he tried to limit his painkillers, instead using Olbas Oil and a hot water bottle for extra pain relief. Although his knee was painful, Mahinder tried to keep active on his stationary exercise bike to support the muscles around his knee. He used a walking stick to help with his mobility, but found it difficult to walk longer distances. Mahinder tried to “not become disabled” by staying positive about being able to get out and do things. He also believes that “food is the best medicine” and tries to have a healthy diet.
Going into his appointment with the surgeon, Mahinder planned to discuss his concerns about his heart problem. Though he worried about risks for having the surgery, he was also concerned that a lack of mobility due to his knee pain could make his heart condition worse in the long run. Mahinder hoped that his doctor would “put themselves in [his] shoes”, be “holistic”, and give “clear cut” advice. He has found spiritual teachings, meditation, and popular philosophy helpful tools for coping with his health problems and preparing him to feel physically and mentally ready for knee surgery. He also felt comforted by the fact that knee replacement is quite a routine operation that is regularly done on older people with multiple health issues.
Mahinder’s appointment with the surgeon confirmed that he needed a total right knee replacement. After a discussion of the risks with his surgeon and some health checks, Mahinder received an appointment for surgery five months later. He was also given informational leaflets about the procedure. In the hours leading up to his knee surgery, Mahinder was finally able to meet with the anaesthetist – though he would have liked an earlier chance to talk to the anaesthetist directly about his worries, perhaps at the pre-operative assessment clinic. He found this interaction stressful; they asked Mahinder if he would prefer local or general anaesthetic, but Mahinder was unsure. He wishes the anaesthetist would have been clearer about the benefits and drawbacks of each. In the end, Mahinder decided to have general anaesthetic. Mahinder also found out in the hours leading up to surgery that he would be kept overnight in hospital in the high dependency unit. He felt grateful for this precaution and was happy to have the extra care.
After waking from the surgery, Mahinder was in a lot of pain and asked for extra painkillers, which he was given. After a night in the high dependency unit, Mahinder was transferred to the general ward, where he spent an additional five nights. During this time, he struggled with pain and vomited once, which he was told is a common side effect of the general anaesthetic. Mahinder’s sodium levels dropped and he was placed on an IV drip. His time in hospital coincided with an extreme heat wave, but a night nurse brought him fans which helped. Mahinder had two visits from a physio whilst in hospital, who helped get him up and walking. Overall, Mahinder was very appreciative of the care he received in hospital.
Mahinder had significant pain and discomfort for around three weeks after returning home. He was sent home with codeine and morphine but didn’t want to take too many painkillers because of their side effects such as constipation. Instead, Mahinder took co-codamol and ibuprofen for pain relief. Mahinder was not able to go upstairs for five weeks, so needed to sleep and have body washes downstairs. His son got him a frame which helped him to use the toilet. He had a visit from the community physiotherapist and five follow-up physio appointments at the local hospital.
Mahinder feels he then started to improve gradually. At ten weeks, he could drive and, at 15 weeks, he was able to walk to get the bus again. At 20 weeks post-surgery, he felt he had “good mobility” and was “improving all the time”. Mahinder had a six-week check-up with the surgeon who was very pleased with his progress. He is back to using his exercise bike and can now walk half an hour without stopping, as opposed to 100 meters before the surgery. He and others have also noticed that his limp has disappeared and his posture is better, and he only very occasionally needed to use his walking stick. After 8 months, Mahinder stopped using his walking stick entirely. Mahinder is delighted to have his independence back and likes that he can drive, do the shopping, and take his grandson to karate again.
Looking back, Mahinder wishes he could have had surgery earlier, but understands that his referral and consultation were delayed two years because of the pandemic. He feels that his recovery might have been quicker if he had had the surgery sooner. Mahinder’s message to others who are experiencing knee problems like he was is to listen to the advice of their doctors and, if they agree, “not to hesitate and have it done, because it is remarkable. […] It changes your life”. Mahinder would also like to take this opportunity to express his gratitude to the NHS.
Mahinder was pain free for several years after first going to his doctor for knee pain 10 years ago. When the pain came back it started affecting his mobility.
Mahinder was pain free for several years after first going to his doctor for knee pain 10 years ago. When the pain came back it started affecting his mobility.
Yeah, when I was in a lot of pain I went and saw the GP and said, “Look I’m in a lot of pain in minute.”
He said, “Alright then, I’ll send you for an MRI scan.” And then the MRI report came, and you know, he read it to me but huh, it’s sort of double Dutch to me, I didn’t understand it [laughs]. Because it’s medical.
And he said, “Okay, so yeah, I’ll send you for, I’ll refer you to hospital - where would you like to go?” I said, I mentioned a few hospitals, and he said, “Look I’ll,” because now at that time, he said, “Well I can send you to a private hospital, so why the NHS?”
I think it was this group of hospitals which, there’s one local. And then he referred me there. And the private hospital phoned me, they said, “Oh we can’t take your referral.” I said, “Why?” He said, “Oh you’ve got heart disease.” I said, “Well I’m feeling fine,” you know, because I had-
“No, no,” he said, “We can’t, you have to go to NHS.”
Oh.
So I said, “Fine.”
So I had a referral letter, so when I phoned the referral system and then they said, “Where would you like to go here?” I said, “I want to go to the [hospital].”
And they say, “Yeah fine, okay.” So, they arranged. And then when I went to see the doctor I said, “Yeah, I’m getting pain.” He said, “We have looked at it,” he said. “Yeah, yeah,” he said, “You probably will need a replacement but I suggest to you, give it a good 12 months, see how you get on, come back in." He said, “I’ll give you another appointment to come back in 12 months. And then we’ll see how we do.”
And then, and then in the meantime because of all this I’ve started eating protein, and I’ve started eating like nuts and walnuts and this sort of thing, walnuts, yeah is good for your knee. I’ve started eating walnuts as a protein, my pain then went, my pain then finally disappeared.
Yeah, with that sort of diet, so when I went back after twelve months I said, “Doctor look, look see my pain has gone.” That’s why I was worried before, it was very painful. I was using oil and things like that to massage, but at the moment I said, “Yeah I’m coping so greatly yeah.”
He said, “Oh, there is a deformity there,” he said, “But I feel we can leave this for a while.” He said, “I have referred you, so if you start getting a lot of pain, take some painkillers but if you then start getting a lot of pain, use a walking stick or an umbrella or something. If you get a lot of pain then come back. You know, then we’ll see what we can do.” So yeah, so then for six or seven years after that I was fine [laugh].
Yes, it started what, two and a half years ago? Before, just before the pandemic. So, we’re two years into pandemic are we yeah?
Yeah so, to, but yeah, six months before that. Two and a half years ago when I said, “Look I need to do something now. It’s affecting my mobility, you know I’m - I can’t walk as much as I can.”
Mahinder had an X-ray taken by a private chiropractor after his knee became very sore and inflamed. They advised him to see his GP.
Mahinder had an X-ray taken by a private chiropractor after his knee became very sore and inflamed. They advised him to see his GP.
I saw the NHS physio, yeah before.
Before that? Okay.
Yeah, months, oh physio, a few weeks before yeah.
It was only two or three weeks, two weeks before, or something like that.
And he was, he didn’t take x-ray, he thought he’d just, a lot of people have arthritis.
And he said, “Look-” I said “I need to w-” He said, “No, no, you probably don’t need walking sticks, start using, start walking now.”
And then I thought look, maybe he knows something and I, maybe because of pandemic I thought I haven’t been, well yes of course because of pandemic we haven’t been out a lot. You know that made matters worse because we were scared of getting the virus.
So I thought maybe I haven’t been exercising. I’ve let my, you know? Maybe I need to do some exercise. So, I said, “Look, well let me give it a good go. And I started walking and then my knee kind of you know, became very painful, flared up. I could hardly walk.
Well I didn’t go to A&E. I thought about it, but I didn’t, because of pandemic, you know? You don’t want to go there and catch the virus.
So I just phoned, you know the, this chiropractor. And I went there and he took an x-ray and we saw it. And then I phoned the doctor.
So I went to see my GP and he looked. “Now,” he said. “OK then, what I’ll do is I’ll send you for an x-ray to a local hospital.”
And then two or three weeks later he got the results from x-ray, he phoned me and he said, “Yeah, you need to have a knee replacement.” So, then he referred me. He said, “You went to [hospital]?” I said, “Yeah, that one. Send me back to the same.”
So, then he referred it.
Mahinder tried to keep the painkillers he took for his knees to a minimum because he read they are not good for the kidneys.
Mahinder tried to keep the painkillers he took for his knees to a minimum because he read they are not good for the kidneys.
It depends on how I feel, sometimes I just take para-, cos I don’t want to take the co - I take co-codamol at night but I don’t want to take it all - you know? So I take a paracetamol or maybe paracetamol and aspirin, if I’m going out for two or three hours.
Because otherwise what it is. If I don’t then I start getting a sw- I didn’t realise at first what it was, but the swelling, as soon as your knee starts to swell then it starts to hurt, especially in the kneecap area.
Because the knee’s not fully functional, they start swelling and then the walking becomes very painful.
Another thing you see because of my kidneys, you’ve got to be careful with the medication because taking too much paracetamol and, you know, painkillers, is no good for your kidneys.
And so, but I do. When the doctors tell me ,“Look, you might have, you might finish up chronic kidney disease you know,”.
So that was twenty years ago when I read an article how to look after your kidneys, you know? So I do that procedure like in the morning I get up, I make sure I drink lemon water and that sort of thing, a lot of warm water and that kind of thing, and then a good diet they said helped.
And then well the doctor, the hospital told me, “Look, you’ve got to have this heart valve repaired,” I said, “No, I’ve got this other condition.” “What?” he said. I said, “My kidneys not functioning very well.”
So, he sent a letter to my GP, he said, “Send him to a kidney specialist to sort it out.”
And my GP looked, he said, “Look.” [laughs], "In fact your kidneys is same as eighty percent of people who are over 70," something like that. He said, “Of course with age your kidneys' function do go down. So, but you’re not having any, adverse effect from it, are you? Are you asking a question?”
And I said, “No.” I said, “You’re reading everything and so forth.” “Yeah,” he said, “No”.
So and of course reading about it, people who take a lot of medication or you know ibuprofen and painkillers, it’s not good for your kidneys. So, I try to keep it down to a very minimum, you know?
Mahinder avoided using a walking stick at first because “you feel you’re an old man” but realised it helped him to do longer walks.
Mahinder avoided using a walking stick at first because “you feel you’re an old man” but realised it helped him to do longer walks.
I bought a Nordic pole, I thought that might be helpful, because I, you know, the very thought of having a walking stick you feel you’re an old man, that sort of thing.
So that’s what the doctor at the [hospital] said. He said, “if you don’t want to walk with a walking stick, get an umbrella. One of these long umbrellas.” [Laugh].
He said “Just to support.”
But now realising now I, in the last six months, twelve months now, that I need the walking stick because if I don’t have the walking stick I can’t go far.
I try to go for a walk once a week. I go for a walk, go on the bus just to town; town’s not too far. So once a week I’ve made a point of going out, and so being in the fresh air, at least not just ten minutes, but being in the fresh air for two hours or something, or three hours, something like that.
Being out, you know? To help.
So yeah, walking stick now is, I can’t. I can’t go. I’m okay at home, I can just go out to the car for five minutes, when I’ve rested my knee’s okay. But when I just start walking that knee quickly starts losing its power.
Mahinder has heart problems and has been trying to avoid “unnecessary” operations. His main concern is the risk from knee replacement surgery on his heart.
Mahinder has heart problems and has been trying to avoid “unnecessary” operations. His main concern is the risk from knee replacement surgery on his heart.
So, but obviously when the pandemic started, I thought look, you know it was a very terrifying situation, so never mind about the knee, we’re all concerned about whether we’re gonna catch this virus.
So, I put that to one side. And another thing I just mention why I delayed my knee, is after I had the endocarditis, I remember the doctor telling me when I left, he said to avoid any unnecessary surgical procedures.
Yeah, so but my heart is - last time well the doctor had an echocardiogram somewhere, they’re keeping an eye on me. And then they said, “No, your heart’s working fine”
And, but although I mentioned it that were, after I had I came out of the hospital, after the endocarditis, one doctor was saying that maybe you could have your heart valve repaired or something like this. And then - but because I was very weak, I said there was no way. And at the moment they were talking about open heart surgery- I don’t want that. I said, “Look, there’s no way I’m going to survive open heart surgery because I’m in a very weak state.” So, I said no.
And then I think through my diet and sort of I believe, you know, I’ve kept my [laughs] heart goes up, yeah.
The main, main concern if you like to think about the operation is my, the heart murmur - leaky valve, you know mitral valve? So that’s the main concern about having the knee operation.
But of course, medical science has moved on. I spoke to my GP and he said, “No, it should be okay.” I should get it, get it done through the NHS and you’ve got all the care and all of the other things.
So my only concern is what affect it will have, you know? Some adverse effect on my heart.
Mahinder had delayed surgery because of his heart condition. But he weighed up the pros and cons and decided being immobile would make his heart worse.
Mahinder had delayed surgery because of his heart condition. But he weighed up the pros and cons and decided being immobile would make his heart worse.
I delayed my operation for a long time because I wanted to avoid any surgical procedures - I didn’t want to put my heart at risk, you see? Yeah, yeah.
But then my mobility got so bad that, you know, I’ve not been able to go out. Would have been another-, because that would have made my heart worse [chuckles]. You know what I mean?
Yeah, so that you’ve got to sort of weigh up, you know, the pros and cons.
And I said, “Look now you see, if I’m sort of- if I can’t go out. If I am very weak, and something like that,” and he-, "and I could have an operation which will give my mobility back."
And I’m sort of-, I mean over cautious-, you know? Or worry too much about what will happen with my heart.
Told my brother, I said, “Look, I made my decision.” Well look, I’m not going to sort of be wishy washy or dilly-dally, I’ve got to decide whether I want it done or not.
So I went in with a positive-, you know? I went and I said to the doctor not to look for reason why I can’t have it done, but the reason I should have it done, you know? Because it’s a quite a successful thing.
And I thought that unless the doctor tells me, advises me against it, then yes - if he’s saying that’s fine, he can-, I could have the knee surgery, and said, “Yes, it, yeah, looks that way, we can sort of, your leg will be straighter and you’ll be independent, you’ll be more independent, you’ll walk.”
And then I said, “Fine.” He said, “Yeah,” I said, “Yeah.”
So he read me some of the things on the consent form and so forth, and risk and all that. I said, “Yeah, fine.”
So I’ve signed it.
Mahinder, who has a heart condition, did not feel reassured after his pre-operative health checks because he didn’t receive feedback or talk to the anaesthetist.
Mahinder, who has a heart condition, did not feel reassured after his pre-operative health checks because he didn’t receive feedback or talk to the anaesthetist.
So, then when I went for my assessment. They did take-, they were quite… about two and three hours, something like that.
And then my consultant said that your health and condition will be discussed by an anaesthetist. But that didn’t happen, you see. Well what-, look I understand, they do on a daily basis and they must do hundreds in a week, you know? They do all these all the time, and sometimes we think that you are some-, your condition is something special, but I understand it’s not.
So yeah, they did the ECG and so forth and, well, what they did, they’ve got staff who are trained to do this kind of assessment, not so much the doctors, I think doctors they sit-, I believe that initially they sit in the room, at the control centre, and then they send people out to get information and do all the tests and everything like that.
So-, the lady who saw me, she was a pharmacist, she said, “I’m pharmacy, but I’ve been trained to do the assessment,” you know assistant to the doctors, anaesthetists and so forth?
And, yes, so I didn’t see the anaesthetist, which my consultant said that I will be, you know, because of my heart condition. So I didn’t see it, but the paperwork they gave was excellent, I read the paperwork and everything, so that working.
And the paperwork said that if you’ve got any concerns, to phone. And then I did phone, it was an answerphone, but somebody actually answered it, I said, “Look, I’m a bit concerned I’ve got-, expecting you-, you are doing the assessment and then I’ve not had any feedback to say everything’s fine.
It was a nur- I think it was a nursing staff and he said-, “Look-”, he was quite nice, so I can’t complain about that. He did say, “Yeah, everything-, everything must be fine,” he said, “but I will check,” you know.
But what was - in the following week I had to go in for my blood test the week before the operation, but I got his name, so when I went on a Friday, I asked for him and then he came to talk to me and I said, “Look, you do this and this, is everything okay, and I’ve not got any feedback,” and so forth.
He said, “I can’t tell you everything,” he said, “but generally, [chuckles] no news is good news,” [chuckles] Which means that it will be quite-, because they said they will find some-, speak to my consultant-, heart consultant about some results and all that sort of thing, you see? And they say they were going to obtain it from my local hospital, and now that the pain resolves or-, or what if they’re happy with it.
So that’s the only bit of-, which-, you know, I didn’t get the kind of assurance that-, But as I say, I understand, you know, that they deal with-, I mean especially a knee operation, it’s mostly people who are over 60, 70, so they’re all older people with underlying conditions, you know?
Not all of them, but well, probably half of them, people have got underlying conditions, so they deal with this sort of thing. But because you feel-, you-, [chuckles] that I will look at you, but they haven’t, you know? So I-, in the back of mind say, look the whole point of the assessment is for them to make sure there is nothing, you know, is going happen, and that they are taking all the precautions.
So, I didn’t see anaesthetist and I didn’t get the, technically an assurance, that’s all, that’s my one little criticism.
Mahinder was happy he chose a general anaesthetic and to have the extra care in the high dependency unit after his total knee replacement surgery.
Mahinder was happy he chose a general anaesthetic and to have the extra care in the high dependency unit after his total knee replacement surgery.
So, you did wake up in the HDU?
Yeah, they did the operation then I woke this and then I was sort of glad. And the staff there because it’s like a one-to-one care, yeah.
And they had a trainee nurse, so there’s two of them, you know, looking after me, coming quite often into the room, you know. “Would you like to drink water?” Get me drink water because I’m thirsty and, “would you like to eat something?” Well, I said, “What about a cup of tea, a sandwich?”
They keep-, you know, so they looked after me there.
And then they had to put all kinds of monitors on me, they were taking four or five different readings, you know, temperature, blood pressure, pulse and all sorts of thing. And I had that-, like the airbag you know to-, and it stops any blood clot and all that, on my leg, which was a bit painful. So I had that.
Then a doctor came - must have been seven o'clock, something like that. They say hello to me, he said, “Yeah, yeah, we realise you’ve got some underlying condition and we’ll look after you,”
And they give some antibiotic, and then the nurse came and they give some injection intravenously, she gave me some antibiotic, just as a precaution.
As a precaution, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, because the risk of infection. And then I think they gave me three - I had three of those the night, and then I think about midday the next day, the results were-, or that-, I was okay, so then they moved me to the ward.
Mahinder was concerned about the effect of strong painkillers on his general health. After about two weeks of taking codeine at home following his knee replacement surgery, he tried to manage the pain without it.
Mahinder was concerned about the effect of strong painkillers on his general health. After about two weeks of taking codeine at home following his knee replacement surgery, he tried to manage the pain without it.
When you first came out of hospital you had some painkillers that you were sent home with, but you tried not to take quite so many of them - is that right?
That’s right, yeah, they give me codeine, which is about 20 milligrams, and they gave me some morphine as well.
Yeah, and so when the physio came, she said morphine is a quick-acting, but the morphine-, only if you’re in extreme pain and it’ll take the pain away, you see? So, I didn’t take any morphine.
And then I did talk to my doctor about it, I did phone the surgery and they weren’t too happy about codeine really - but anyway I think they gave me 21 codeine or something like that, or something in that region - three weeks. But I took over two weeks and then I stopped.
Then I was taking-, they spoke-, and the surgery sent me some more co-codamol, yeah, so I - yeah, yeah.
And that was your choice - you just didn’t feel that it was necessary? That you could manage with the pain you had at that time?
Yeah, yeah, right. The fact-, and I wanted to cut down and taking too many pain-, because of my age as well, you know, you don’t forget.
You know, a younger person and a body who could tolerate it, but I don’t want to-, I’ve got to put up with a little bit of discomfort and all that because it’s to do with- The painkiller is-, it’s not a cure, it doesn’t cure anything, does it? [chuckles].
Yeah, and the painkiller - what I had was just to take the pain away so I can sleep or relax. So, I took it, I took as long as-, I think you could take-, you could take four tablets-, four tablets a day: I was taking two. I wasn’t even taking-, yeah, that’s right. And they gave me two-weeks’ supply.
I could take four, but I cut down more or less straightaway from four to two every six hour-, I actually I was taking two for two weeks, then I stopped that, and then I was taking one, I think, and then I stopped that. I was just taking co-codamol, yeah.
After five days in hospital, Mahinder successfully walked up and down the stairs with the physiotherapist, he was discharged home the next day.
After five days in hospital, Mahinder successfully walked up and down the stairs with the physiotherapist, he was discharged home the next day.
Yeah, and then Monday the physio came, [chuckles] and then they went to the stairs.
I said, “I can’t go up those stairs I’m too-,”
“No, no, you can.”
Then they took me down a flight of stairs and, oh dear, I probably something about 12 steps or somewhere, and then I was walking and the ward doctor said, “Oh, you’re-, you’re doing okay,” I said, “Yeah, yeah.”
And then he came and see me, he said, “Look, let’s stay tonight-, today, and you can go tomorrow.”
So, I was there six nights.
Six nights, okay.
Yes, which really—
And did you...
and I was-, I was happy, I appreciated it.
Mahinder feels he is improving all the time since his total knee replacement surgery. He often walks without a walking stick and he can get on the bus.
Mahinder feels he is improving all the time since his total knee replacement surgery. He often walks without a walking stick and he can get on the bus.
I can see I’m improving all the time.
So, I, when my sort of swelling will go, although I’m not in pain. I sleep well, you know, there hasn’t been any pain or anything like that, but on the whole, yeah, or now when I’m sort of I will do a little bit, I could feel a little bit of pain in my knee.
But listen, some of it could be age related as well, you know? So you know, you can’t just blame that. So yeah, I’m hoping that it- but I’m sort of almost there and I’m hoping that I’ll continue, you know, so, more like that.
I don't know how much of the bend I’m going to get, but we’ve got quite a - going to go all the way back or not - but of course when I go and see a consultant in a month, a couple of months, he or she will look and then they’ll know [chuckles] how-, or what the state, and how much you can achieve.
But really what I’ve achieved is good mobility.
Good, and it’s better than it was before?
Oh yes, definitely.
Definitely, oh definitely yeah, I’ve got-, yeah, I feel revitalised really, yeah. I can-, I’m almost at a point when I don’t have to use a walking stick either.
I can walk without it; I often walk without walking stick, and I can get on the bus and all that sort of thing, yeah.
So you know at point of getting my normal mobility again.
At his follow-up appointment, Mahinder was told that the movement in his knee was very good but that it will take time for “muscles, ligaments and tendons to recover.”
At his follow-up appointment, Mahinder was told that the movement in his knee was very good but that it will take time for “muscles, ligaments and tendons to recover.”
And then I went back after six weeks or so. I had an appointment - I didn’t see the consultant but I saw the registrar, and he said, “Yeah, you’ve had the x-ray,” and he said, “Everything’s fine, your movements very good, it’s going to take time,” he said. "In fact, look, your knee will need, because it was in a bad condition,” he said, “it’s going to take time for the muscles and your ligaments and tendons to recover.”
But what I’m doing, I’ll make sure I maintain a good level of exercise, you know? I do it every day and this sort of thing, but without overdoing it, so-
Without over-,
—yeah, without over-, yeah of course. You’ve got to really-, you know, you’ve got to help yourself, you’ve got to do things for yourself.
You can’t just leave it for the doctors, you know? You’ve get off the sofa, [chuckles] they can’t do it for you.
Mahinder watched a video of someone with experiences of knee surgery that was on a hospital website.
Mahinder watched a video of someone with experiences of knee surgery that was on a hospital website.
The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital has got quite a big website with all sorts of information.
Yeah, I looked at that as well, I did look at that, and they’ve got some people who are describing their experiences.
That’s good, yeah.
Yeah, you see there’s one video, a man taking his dog for a walk and he’s limping,—he’s goes to the park and he’s limping quite-, [chuckles] And then after the operation they showed him again going to the park with the dog and then he was walking, you know, very good, you know.
Yeah, yeah, I think it’s a Royal Orthopaedic video, that is-, their website, yeah, and it’s got all about exercise and things like that, yeah, so—
That’s really helpful, yeah.
Yeah, so if you title it in a certain way, you know, it might catch somebody’s attention, you know.
Mahinder prefers to be told the main points in a consultation but to have written information to take home to read and learn more.
Mahinder prefers to be told the main points in a consultation but to have written information to take home to read and learn more.
So, they’ll probably have all that written down.
Which is, which’ll be, which’ll be good, I think. Because then you can sometimes you might not take all the information they’ve got to give you, so writing it down on a leaflet or whatever it is, it’s good because they can come home and then you can, you know. I haven’t even - I mean the dentist now when they do extractions, they give you a leaflet.
You know, go home and if you get any bleeding or, wash your mouth, salty water, that sort of thing. You know so, so I hope that the hospital would will have similar information.
You know, if you’re living on your own or if you haven’t got you know, no facilities, downstairs toilet or shower or something like that, or what to do, or what not to do. Be careful of this, for the first few weeks of your, two months, or whatever it is.
So, I hope that all that is not so much they’re telling me verbally, but they just cover the main points and then give you some, say, - look, I should go home and read all this. Just to say you’re fully aware of everything.
Mahinder hopes that medical professionals “put themselves in my shoes” to see they are dealing with a person not a symptom.
Mahinder hopes that medical professionals “put themselves in my shoes” to see they are dealing with a person not a symptom.
I hope that the medical profession sees things from a patient’s point of view. That they have put themselves in my shoes. You see. There is no them and us.
What I hope is probably will be like that, and I hope that you know and then at the same time they don’t look at it just as a, just as a task.
That it’s not a task or not, not a treatment or they’re not dealing with the symptom, but they’re also dealing with a person, you know.
And you know that they ask me, you know, that if I’ve got any concerns, or anything like that, or if I’ve got any, if I’m hesitant, why am I hesitant? You know.
And that they would put me, put my mind at rest.
Mahinder felt ready mentally for knee replacement surgery by following self-care approaches and his Buddhist faith.
Mahinder felt ready mentally for knee replacement surgery by following self-care approaches and his Buddhist faith.
I think that that’s very important for your mind and the body and psychologically to say, “Look it’s something that can be put right,” rather than, “Oh, no look, I can’t do anything.”
And I thought [...] but I’m a very philosophical person you see, and I’m pretty spiritual as well, and yeah, and, and knowing that you’ve got a heart condition you know it, it really, that is more worrying than having a knee problem [laughs].
And then I had anxiety actually, know that GP’s today anxiety and depression you, is quite widespread, you know. And I kept telling to myself, I keep telling everybody else, “Look there’s a cure for broken bones, you know, but there is, there is with your mind, look after your mind, your state of mind because if you fall you know somebody might pick you up once, but nobody can keep picking you up all the time. Because nobody can, nobody can sort of heal your mind, you have to heal it yourself.”
You know and that, and I said I’m a philosophical person and I read the poetry and you know about suffering of Buddha and all that sort of thing, and I am spiritual as well I think, so that’s helped me sort of cope.
You know I mean I do yoga and that sort of thing; you know and because I still think I’m not, I’m anxiety free I do get it but I do breathing exercise or walks, I go in the fresh air and you know, I sort of read you know nice things, or obviously what’s happening in the world, you know, sort of keep in touch with that. That sometimes does bother me, what’s happening to people, and all the suffering that goes on sometimes, you know, I worry about that kind of thing.
But then you know you’ve got to sort of keep your mind alright, so yeah. So, I’m yeah, I’m in a good frame of mind that I need to have something done about my knee.