"Disastrous lack of choice from Trauma &..."

Having suffered several years with increased pain and a hugely restrictive inability to walk more than 200m at a time, I had hoped my appointment with a consultant in the Trauma & Orthopaedic clinic on Jan. 22nd would have provided me with options to consider which may help surgically and/or clinically to ameliorate the unconscionable pain I experience at rest and on walking. I was given no choices, just an illogical fait accompli which will force my endurance of the massively painful effects of a torn meniscus and Baker's Cyst in my increasingly marcescent right leg. Added to which I have neurological problems with both left and right piriformis muscles and sciatic nerves.

The consultant concluded the appointment with the distressing opinion that I would have to rely heavily on stupefying opiods until sufficiently diseased to be eligible for a replacement knee... This could mean a further decade of worsening pain and immotility.

Age disqualified for corrective surgery at 62, I can't live like this much longer. I really can't. I don't drive (or own a car or other vehicle), walking to the bus stop can only be completed with two (or more) recovery breaks. But I don't take bus journey's any more as I cannot walk about once I've reached a destination. If it weren't for someone picking up a few groceries a week I'd have starved to death ages ago.

I had little of a life prior to my appointment, and the better quality of life I was looking forward to after a NHS intervention had released me from my pain and dependence on opiods, has been stymied by a professional who swore an oath to help people.