I am an expert at waiting:
- Always the one who is dressed and ready to go first,
- Always early to arrive for appointments,
- Always flexible about time constraints,
- I usually wait double time since I arrive early and others arrive late
Imagine all the waiting required over a lifetime – a half hour here, an hour there, etc.
Turns out even I (the expert at waiting) can be surprised stunned.
The general concensus among orthopedic experts is that I need a hip replacement. Yes, another complaint has emerged about one of two lower extremeties.
Yesterday I went to a highly recommended surgeon who, after double XRays, agreed that the hip on the opposite side of BigFoot needs replacing.
“You could get in for surgery soon with one of my partners. But I am booked through the summer of 2021,” he said.
What?
Did I hear that right?
A year?
2021?
I would have to wait a year?
In bewildered shock I answered, “It seems you are the best surgeon for this and of course I want the best. Maybe I could tough things out.”
The doc did not seem surprised as he outlined the plan. “My nurse will call you with a date,” said he. And then they gave me a folder on exercises to do post surgery as well as what to expect in the hospital.
Are they serious?
In a year there may be technological advances that would call for exercise instead of surgery!
In a year I might be DOA from Covid-19. Notice how I can talk in initials now?
In a year I may be too old for surgery.
In a year ANYTHING could happen.
I still cannot imagine WAITING A YEAR for a date with a surgeon can you?
On the other hand, I am an expert at waiting.
Virginia Views 
That is a long wait. I’m having that problem too. I called a doc’s office here for a new patient appointment and they said they had one open next January.
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Oh, he must be very popular. I would be tempted to go with one of his partners and trust that he had chosen well. Sorry you have to wait so long. Anything could happen between now and then. Your patience will be tried!
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That is a long, long time to live with pain. At the risk of sounding callous…did you get on a waiting list in case someone else dies?
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That doctor doesn’t seem worth waiting for……How terrible! I am sorry you are going through this.
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Are the other surgeons so inexperienced that no one wants to use them? Sometimes a surgeon has hype from being around a long time. Seems like an awfully long time. Last fall I had IBS issues and needed a colonoscopy to rule out some serious stuff. The first appointment was at the end of September with a referral to another doc at the end of October (this was the colonoscopy guy). I had my choice of 2 dates in 2019 either in 4 days (which I chose) or New Year’s Eve (seriously do you want to end the year with that?). As it turns out, people put off this procedure until the last possible minute but have to get it in before the end of the year so everything was booked up. Made no sense to me at all. Good luck with your wait and maybe there will be a better option by then.
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Unfortunately, the wait time doesn’t surprise me :(. Mikey had his hip replaced, and the surgery is so much more advanced nowadays. It’s amazing! Mike was up and walking right after surgery. Hopefully for you the wait time will be shorter than they think!
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This is awful! Are you dealing with Augusta Med? I am going to call and check with my old friend who lives in Roanoke, after a career with the State Dept., because she grew up there and she told me the hospital she and her family count on, but I can’t think of it right now. Anyway, no one should have to wait a year to have hip surgery!!! I will give you a call tomorrow after I have talked to her. 😘 Julie
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Recently I was reminded that as teenagers we were to meet downtown and you arrived half-hour early while I arrived half-hour late – making your wait 60 minutes. Even back then you were always the first one ready and so it is not surprising to read here that it has been a lifetime of waiting for you!
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Oh my goodness Dora, so sorry you have this problem ,not only with your hip but the fact that you have to wait for a year ‘what” I would say the same thing.It seems that medical staff are getting more and more scarce, apart from the fact this dam virus is holding things up. I’ts utter chaos. I do hope you can get things sorted before then, take care
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Oh my! An entire year?? That’s seems outrageous to me but what do I know about the best orthopedic surgeons? Apparently, you have to wait a long time for them. Yikes. I’m not a very patient waiter so I would have issues with that.
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In a way it may be good to wait since by next summer we may have conquered Covid. 🙂
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After thinking this over I am sort of greatful for the delay. Who wants to go to the hospital for surgery in the middle of a pandemic?
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Yes, I was thinking of just that and thinking of you as I wrote this! Thanks old friend for never changing, only now I would know not to be early when we decide to meet.
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Thankyou so much Julie for your sweet thughts. Bill and I have come to grips with the delay in surgery and are somewhat relieved not to do it immediately (since the virus is still rampant and due to our venerable ages that make us more vulnerable). If I wind up in too much pain, there are shots they will give me up to 3 months prior to surgery. But, I thank you again for your concern and would love to hear what you friend has to say.
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Oh I hope you are right dear friend! That the surgery would be easy and successful. I have a feeling too that they will call early to schedule so am ordering a walz length gown now for the hospital. Talk about pre-planning huh? A year in advance.
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I think it is Covid-19 that has messed everything up because they were not allowed to take on “elective surgeries” that would clog up the hospitals for virus patients. Now things are loosening up so the top docs are flooded and the lesser guys can book. I like this surgeon and he really does sound like the super expert on the team. Hopefully it will be worth the wait.
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It’s actually kind of comforting to know I don’t have to rush right to the hospital in the middle of the virus thing. We are expecting a surge here due to the 3 universities opening up. And I am used to waiting unless there is horrible pain, in which ase they will give me cortisone shots up to 3 months before surgery. There is hope!
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Hahaha! Dear Callous One, Yes, I am on a waiting list…. hopefully not a death list…. but there is a distinct possibility someone may cancel (who is sick of waiting maybe?) and I will more quickly drift to the top. 🙂
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I was greatly impressed with this doctor and yes, I believe he is extremely popular. He was recommended by my famiily dr,of 20 years, who always sends me to the best. I am confident I will wind up with this surgeon doing the work and maybe waiting out the virus is not such a bad idea.
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Well Andrew, maybe we can compare notes on how this all goes. A January date here would be problematical since we could get horrible winter weather and the hospital is about an hour away. The dr said the surgery only takes and hour and a half and I would only be in the hosp overnight. This is reassuring and maybe delaying a year here is not the end of the world.
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You know I’m Canadian, right? The average wait time for that **free** (socialized) medicine hip surgery is 3-5 years. Average. And in the meantime, well you can just live with pain, right?
My FIL had hip replacement surgery ~ I was amazed at his recovery and how quickly they had him up & walking. Hope you get in sooner …and that you’re not suffering in the meantime. MJ
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I am sorry to hear about this, Dor. What a challenging decision you now have to make. It sounds like you’re good at waiting. I have also discovered that when the Universe wants us to do something sooner it will generally make itself known. Hugs…
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Well, I’ll let you know if I do end up getting something sooner.
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Thanks Kathy. I always love your perspective on things and waiting for the Universe to tell me what to do sounds like just the right idea. 🙂
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It’s possible they may call you sooner!
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Thanks Dianna. I am on a waiting list but kind of hope I can make it through the winter without surgery. A little nervous to go to the hospital in the middle of a pandemic.
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