Assessment of Injury

 What to do when a knee fails?

We retreated from the Payne Lake Cabin and the tree falling escapade, the knee didn’t come around this time.

Mid-September arrived and the knee was still causing significant pain issues. We had been considering a west coast road trip, then decided maybe Washington/Oregon would be plenty We headed out mid September. While on a US road trip through the great Northwest States (Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon) we had much time to chat. 

Safety under the Interstate

The knee was a primary topic, when we arrived Oregon we thought maybe it was time to get an MRI/XRAY to see what the issue(s) is/are. I had previously arranged an MRI for Michele in California some 12 years ago at a cost of $500US/$650CAD, we may have had a Ontario written requisition request, don’t recall? 

Pearl District Portland

Regardless, after some research, while we were not marveling at the homeless mecca that is downtown Portland, we determined individuals must get a US doctor to requisition a request for these procedures? 

Who knew that the world may have changed, or I may have been mistaken? Amazing that in the Land of Trump and free markets/enterprise you can’t just walk in and get an MRI? Donald must make this a priority to sort out after the recently initiated impeachment trial concludes, if he is still President. Might be a left coast / communist funded plot to up doctors income. We let it go, enjoyed some local edibles and moved on.  

Hercules H4 at McMinnville

A short, completely unrelated sidebar: if you are at Portland, take the 1 hour drive to McMinnville. There the Evergreen Aviation museum is paired with The Wings and Waves Waterpark(both of which have entrance fees), where you can see The Hercules H4 (AKA The Spruce Goose) and many other famous original and replica aircraft. 

Elaine at The Controls

                        In addition, and again for an extra fee (also not covered by the Canadian government, although it would be if the party in power thought they could buy a vote by making it free),you can sit in the same seat in the cockpit of the H4 that the great man, Howard Hughes did on November 2, 1947. That day Howard piloted the wooden behemoth for its only flight, some 70 feet above Long Beach Harbor over about 1 mile of water in a time of 26 seconds. Doesn't sound like much, but it proved the concept.

Howard Hughes at the Controls

In Howard's defence, the H4 was the POC “proof of concept” for the next generation 747’s and later the A380’s and 787’s. He kept the H4 on standby at Long Beach for nearly 30 years after its only flight. 

Wings and Waves McMinnville

This was probably his greatest accomplishment (and he had many including the underwire push up brassiere), he kept the H4 available just in case he happened by and wanted to take it out for a spin. Oh, the water park has a 747 on the roof that you slide out of into the pool. How cool is that!

 

Data acquisition and assessment

Alberta MRI Wait List

Once back in Alberta, Elaine attended our go to Active Release/Chiropractor GOD Dr. Richard Robinson, he provided a MRI/XRAY requisition within a couple of days of returning. (We made the appointment from Idaho). Less than 2 hours after leaving Richards office Elaine had both MRI and XRAY done at Mayfair Diagnostics  for a cost of just over $600CAD (including the 10% seniors discount). The “free” MRI’s from our friends in government, at that time in October 2019, had a 25 week average wait, 57 weeks for 90% to be treated (the other 10% likely died waiting) at least for this procedure you can actually receive fee for service treatment, the more important ones are ring fenced for government eyes only, more later. 

Oh and those of you waiting in the AHS queue for an MRI, you are very welcome, one less body is in the queue ahead of you.

Left Knee XRAY October 2019

With MRI/XRAY in hand (or electronically transmitted or on disk) Elaine visited Richard again as well as her family Dr. Suzane Habashy for interpretation and diagnosis. The MRI report was not a positive document, multiple cartilage tearing, ACL tear (must be the 1982 IT band replacement that is damaged), ITB tear, a number of other issues including a 38x22xup to 18mm infarct(dead bone) in Tibia… even a Baker Syst, the whole nine yards. It is very difficult to frame a good news story around any of this information. The picture on the right shows Elaine's knees, nothing positive can be seen about the left knee(on right in picture). Both Dr.’s agreed that a Total Knee Replacement is the required and necessary procedure.

Now what to do? Get on with it !